OUR RAILWAYS—THE PARCELS RATES FRAUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10426, 26 April 1897, Page 3

OUR RAILWAYS—THE PARCELS RATES FRAUD.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— readers will remember th» flourish of trumpets with which the Railway Department announced the great "concessions" they were about to make to the farmer. Weill this is what it is : The old ''parcels rates' table" comprised 98 different rates, the present only 35. I suppose the department will again say, " if only to a limitol extent" this is " adopt ing Mr. Vaile's principles." Yes, to a verj limited extent, and as to the application, as a man of business, and a financier, I should feel heartily ashamed of it. It is another pettifogging attempt on the part of the department to appropriate my ideas. They vainly think that they can secure the money-making qualities of the stage system, without giving the people its many advantages. Like their other ridiculous attempts in the same direction it will fail, but I ask, do not these repeated appropriations prove, that they know I am right? This is how their last grand effort works out. As an administrative measure it is simply beneath contempt. It affords relief to no industry, its only object is to "get revenue" for the current year. It is perhaps charitable to note that it was Gazetted to come into force on the Ist April. Of the 98 rates, 47 remain just as they were, 31 arc raised, in most cases heavily, 20 are slightly reduced. For parcels of 3 lb and under the rates for all distances remain the same. For parcels of from 3 to 7 lb the rate for 60 miles is raised from 6d to Is, and for 80 miles from 9d to Is, other distances as before. Thus it will be seen that on all parcels of 7 lb and under there is no " concession," but in some instances the charge is doubled. For 7 to 14 lb, 30 miles, reduced from 9d to 6d ; 40 miles, Is to 9d; 80 miles, Is 3d to Is; 100 miles, Is 6d to Is: 125 miles, Is 9d to Is 6d ; 150 miles, Is 9d to Is 6(1; 200 miles, from 2s to Is 6d, all other distances the same. For from 14 to 28lb: 30 miles reduced from Is to 9d; 40 miles, Is 3d to Is; 50 miles. Is 6d to 13; 80 miles, Is 9d to Is 6d; 100 miles, from 2i to Is 6d; 125 and _ 150 miles, from 2s 3d to 2s; 200 miles, from 29 9d to 2a; 250, from 3s 3d to 3s; 300 miles, from 3s 6d to 3s; 400 and 500 miles, from 4s to 3s ; other distances the same as before. For from 28 to 561b: 15 miles raised from 9d to Is 6d ; 20 miles. Is 3d to Is 6d; 4? miles, Is 9d to 2s; 60 miles, 2s to 2s 6d; 80 miles, 2s 3d to 2s Gd; 125 and 150 miles, from 3s to 33 9d; 250 miles, from 4s 3d to 53 ; 300 miles, from 4s 9J to as; 400 miles reduced from 5s 3d to 53; 500 miles, from 5s 9d to 5s ; other distances the same.

For from 56 to 841b: 15 miles raised from Is to 2s; 20 miles, from la 9d to 2a; 40 miles, from 2a 3d to '2a 9:1; 60 miles, from 2s 9d to 3s6d: 80 miles, from 3* to 3s Gd; 100 miles, from 3s 3d to 3j 6d ; 125 and 150 miles, from 4s to 5s 6d ; 250 and 300 miles, from 7s to 7s 6d; other distance as beiore. For from 84 to 1121b : 15 miles raised from la 3d to 2s 6d ; 20 miles, 2a to 2s 6d; 40 miles, 2s 9d to 3a 3d ; 00 miles, 33 3d to 4s; 80 miles, 3s 6d to 4s; 125 miles, 4s 6d to 6s 6d; 150 miles 5« 6d to 6s 6d ; 250 and 300 miles, from 8s to 10s; 400 miles, 9» 6d to 10s; other distances as before. I have no means of ascertaining what is the average distance parcels travel in this country, but I very much doubt if it reaches 30 miles, the great bulk of them doubtless much leas, and tor all these distances the charges remain the same, or are increased from 12J to 100 per cent, and this is paraded as a " great concession." The effect must be to largely increase the difficulties of the small farmers and producers. Our Government professes to be a Government of and for the people, they may oi may not see what they arc doing, bat it is all they can to play into the bands of the capitalists and monopolists. I have troubled you, air, and your readers with these details because they very distinctly prove the truth of my oft-repeated statement, that if our railway officials take offa half-penny here, they put on a penny there, and raise the rates while they are pretending to reduce them. Anyone can see how small are the reductions as compared with the increases.

I denounce the whole transaction as fraudulent, dishonest, and demoralising. If the Department means to raise the rates, why cannot it do so honestly and openly, and not under a false statement which they think, owing to their complicated system, cannot be found out ?

From time to time the community is shocked by revelations of commercial dishonesty, such as we have recently witnessed, but cau we wonder ac it when the largest commercial institution in the country, and that under the direct control of the Government, is administered on the most corrupt principles. I ask, is it possible for men to be engaged from year's end to year's end working out frauds such as that exposed above without becoming demoralised themselves ? Here is a concern using a capital of over £16,000,000, and employing thousands of people, and this is its work. The influence must be bad, very bad.-I am, etc., Samuel Vaile. Auckland, 19th April, 1.197.