RAILWAY FREIGHTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 25 November 1924, Page 4

RAILWAY FREIGHTS

ANOMALIES IN RATES . (United Press Assecii.uoe.i WELLINGTON, Nov. 24. Anomalies in connection with railway freight- rates on articles of agricultural use were pointed out to the Railway Commissioners, Sir Sain Kay and Sir Vincent Raven to-day on behalf of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and other producers’ organisations by Mr J. Row, secretary of the Farmers’ Union. The first point made was in regard to freight rates on farm requirements. It was contended that the rates should he adjusted by the Railway Department so as to eliminate motor opposition. The Union contended that high freight upon fertilisers was tending to retard production. Rates on purebred stock and eggs were rather nigh and the poultry association asked that eggs should ne carried on express trains at freight rates. Sir Sam Fay said it was impossible :o satisfy everyone in the matter of freight charges. The object of every classification list was to place the burden >f rates upon those who could afford to pay. Witness replied that there was a protective tariff on imported fertilisers, fiieep dip. etc., which hit the very man ,vho could least afford to pay. Sir Sam Fay said they had had a good leal of experience upon that question in Australia, where it was probably more pronounced and more acute than in Now Zealand. It was more a question of Slate policy than of railway rates, and 10 admitted it was a difficult problem to leal with. The Commission would look nto the matter.

Witness, in reply to Sir Sam Fay, 'aid the Union would sooner see the •ates on woo! increased and those on ertilisers taken off. The Union also onsidered freights on imported timber •hould be the same as on local timber. \nother ' improvement suggested was better' facilities for frucTing grain.