PREFERENTIAL RATES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7078, 16 March 1910, Page 9

PREFERENTIAL RATES

LOXU-i/ISTANCE OOAL FREIGHTS. WEST. COAST MDJEOWNERS COMPLAIN. A deputation representing tho West Coast colliery owners waited on-the Minister for Railways (Hon. J- A. Millar) yesterday afternoon with a new to so-curing that all classes of Now Zealand coal shall be carried on the railways at the same rate, instead of allowing a largo preferential rate tobrown, coals and lignites';: a« compared' with" the bituminous' coals of the West Coast. , It -was pointed out to the Minister that the long-distance freights on tho xespioctire classes ~of coal gradually divorsed as the distance increased, so that the lignite from the Taupirl mine, for inetanoe, could he carried j to Now Plymouth, a distance of 330 miles, at about five .shillings per ton loss' than.' -would 'he charged for tho carriage of bituminous' coals over a similar distance. The opening of tho Main Trunk line enabled coal from the. Ta'upiri distriot to be sent into - the towns of Taranaki, Wairarapa, aud Hawke's Bay, districts which previously- drew their supplies from this West Coast collieries. Tho deputation suggested ■-that as t tho lignite minoowners were-.. able to rail their■ooal straight from the mine to the consumer, the bituminous coalmine owners were under an additional handicap 'besides that of preferential [freights, inasmuch -as thoy were, [obliged to rail the coal to the ship, [ and- then .convey, St by sea to another port, when.it might be again handled on the railway. Tho bituminous owners, the-V stated, obtained a lower .price -forvtijejir., coal than tho lignite owners at'the''pit's mouth, and tho higher /price. t of \- bituminous to tb& consumer was* Sue to tho greater cost of The de* tmtation urged '.that if the _ rates on! ugnite,', w©reV:',- r -.nnremuherative. that class of co^.should .be required to pay moToV-b-ut'if; '"tm'-'tHie other hamd the rates were payable, bituminous coals should not be required to bear a heavier impost. Orie of the speakers was a Wanganui merchant.■ who stated that:th©,. \Va/Dsan-ai i Harbour ; Board had lost-considerably, by the reduced wharfage receipts i%aauaed by;- lessoned importations'of " West Coast ooal. He was; of cqSßs<mT fliat the-;'original purpose of the proferemtiar rate, that of encouraging. the-development of aw inferior olass of icoal, was not now justified by the conditions. Tho Minister was asked : if at any rato ho would confine tho operation of the preferential freight for lignite to an area of, say, - seventy-five miles, beyond which all local coals should, .hear th-o samo hsuilage ralbes. ..In his. roplyiJjho, Minister demonirbrated that fee was ifuUy. versed in tho facts of the ease. He stated that the i»riff was now under consideration, and Awhile -he could not see his way) clear to go asfar as tho deputation! suggested, h© believed •that -the special rates on Tignites over long distances could stand Borne revision. The matter would recedve very careful consideration before being finally determined. ....