THE NEW RAILWAY TARIFF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9138, 10 June 1891, Page 2

THE NEW RAILWAY TARIFF.

A new scale of railway rates comes into force on Jane 15. With a few exceptions, which will be duly referred to, the new tariff is an embodiment of the alterations which have been made from time to time since the coming into force of tha present scale, which beard date January 5, 1891. These are as follows:—The abolition of local fares on the Picton eeotion; the imposition of a. storage rate of Id per diy for each day or portion of a day, after 24 hours, a parcel is allowed to remain after arrival; the charge for demurrage of 5s per hour on trucks standing for unloading begins after five hours from arrival instead of four as at present; there are new regulations respecting private stores and sidings, the most important of which is the responsibility of holders of sidings for the safe custody of railway property; thero are new regulations respecting the supply of trucks, which will be given only when convenient to the commissioners, Rnd no obligation is incurred to deliver goods by auy train or at particular time. This lastmentioned clause ia so important as to deserve further consideration. Omitting reference to local rates on the Whangarei, Napier-Taranabi, and Wellington sectionc, we pass on to the new rates for the Hurunui-Bluff section. The local rate between Dunedin, Port Chalmer.", and Invercargil), ha 3 been cancelled, and a new regulation made. At present goods of classes A, B, C, and D, are grouped into two classes—A-B and C-D—the rates being for each group £1 5s 61 per ton and 17s 6d per ton respectively. The new rate 13 ISa per ton for goods in classes A, B, C, and D, in quantities of scwt and over. Quantities of less than scwt will be charged 3a for the first cwt, and 3d per hundredweight thereafter, but this does not apply to goods in small lots, such as dairy produce, dead rabbits, &% of lcwt aud under. Paper consigned from local paper mills will be charged class C, half rates, in minimum quantities of half a ton. Any less quantity will be charged as such minimum or at the rates in class D. There has also been a reclassification of goods. Butter, packed in lots of not less than lOcwt, is placed in class D without the stipulation as to ifcs a bi'iog for shipment, and cheeso is placed in the same category, tho minimum being reduced from 1 ton to lOcwfc. Hay, pressed or unpressed, is placed in c!:">!i X >>.!, owner's risk, with t.bo abolition of tho additional quartet tato hitherto imposed for it if pref.sofi. Machinery, suoh as reapers and binders (jwckod), cuaffcuMsrs, horae-powers, &c, and classified as nperinl goods nt owners' risk, and placed in cliis.l F, bcitß reduced from class B. Th« other alterations are not numerous aud are of a minor chnructer, devised to meet special and unimportant cases which have