RAIL VERSUS LORRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 143, 21 May 1925, Page 5

RAIL VERSUS LORRY.

TRANSPORT OF DAIRY PRO LUCE

RAILWAY BOARD’S LETTER

A brief discussion on rt.ihyay freights charged to dairy companies took place at to-day’u meeting of the Manawatu and West Coast Dairy Factories’ Association on the reading of a communication from the Railway Board in reply to representations from the association regarding a reduction in the rates for butter and cheese. Tho letter stated that, although certain reductions had been made, these wero special in thoir application and had been decided on as being the highest that it had been considere 1 could be charged, having regard to the circumstances in each case. The board was, however, not in a position to make these reductions generally applicable. The principal factor in this connection was the financial position of the department. At the beginning of tho year .it had been anticipated that tho financial position would have been such as to have enabled tho department to some general reduction in the rates, but, owing to circumstances that had arisen during the year, the department’s anticipations in this connection had not been realised, and the making of general reductions was accordingly not immediately practicable. It was the aim of the board to give the best possible service at the lowest cost, and the association might rest assured that the case of dairy produce would not bo overlooked in tho event of it becoming possible to make general reductions in rates. The chairman (Mr A. Broadbelt) commented that some factories were receiving concessions, which had been denied others. His own factory (Levin) had received no reduction, although it had pressed hard. Mr J. Boyce stated that tho companies that had lorries on the road were getting tho reductions, not thoso that used the railways. In the case of his own company (Glen Oroua) a saving of over £1 per ton had been effected through sending tho produce to Wanganui by lorry, instead of to Wellington by rail. The department did not seem to be looking for business - , , . . The chairman: They are looking for it. now. Mr Boyce; They are not going the right way to get it. The letter was received and the matter dropped.