A RAILWAY MATTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6870, 14 July 1909, Page 3

A RAILWAY MATTER

DEPARTMENT WILL NOT SUPPLY DUPLICATE CERTIFICATES. The member for Biccarton, Mr George' Witty, who hag recently been in communication with the Minister of Railways with a view of inducing the Department to supply consignors with duplicate copies of weight certificates free of charge, has received tho following letter from tho Hon. J. A. Millar; — "With reference to your representations urging that when grain and other produce is weighed by the Railway Department, and consignees pay for a weight, certificate, a duplicate thereof should be supplied to the consignors free of charge, I have tho honour to inform you that the object of weighing goods conveyed by railways is primarily for the purpose of computing freight charges, and not for basing trade transactions, and although the Department exercises the greatest care to ensure the accuracy of the railway weights, the Department •cannot take the responsibility of certifying as id their correctness for trade purposes. Where, however, tho parties concerned are prepared to pay the regulation charge, a weight certificate is issued to them, and tho charge is a very reasonable one for the service, performed. The fact that the -railway certificates are so widely issued and accepted by both consignors and consignees is a 'tribute to the general accuracy of the Department, and this is the more apparent when the large number of weighings to b© undertaken is considered, and the varying circumstances under which the work is performed. After' giving the matter every consideration, I regret that I cannot see my wdy to supply duplicate certificates free of charge, but the Department will, as hitherto, supply them os payment of/ the regulation fee/ 9