THE PREMIER AT HALKETT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6096, 1 June 1881, Page 5

THE PREMIER AT HALKETT.

|BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION^ Christchukch, Tuesday. The Premier addressed his constituents at Halkett last night. The only new point in the speech was a reference to the alteration in the railway freight. He said that whilst some parts of Kew Zealand had not had a share of the benefit of public loans, but had nevertheless contributed their proportion of loss incurred on railways, it was the duty of the Government to endeavour to make the railways pay interest on the cost of construction. The Government had endeavoured to accomplish this by a reduction in the working expenses, by reducing the number of trains run upon sections Oα which there was comparatively little traffic, and by a readjustment of the tariff, when the present Government came into office an excessive reduction in tariff was made in the hope that a largely increased amount of traffic: would be thereby developed. This hope, however, was not borne out by the results, and they had to retrace their steps and to some extent revise the general tariff. In some parts of the colony people had been told the treatment they were at present receiving contrasted unfavourably with that which they received under the Provincial Governments; but, on inquiry, it was found that in the single article of graiu, the tariff was from 12 to 15 per cent, lower than when the railways were under provincial management, and this in spite of those made at the beginning of the present season. He had been anxious in an agricultural community that this point should be explained. On the conclusion of his speech, a vote of confidence was unanimously passed.