INLAND FREEZING WORKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18464, 27 January 1922, Page 7

INLAND FREEZING WORKS

RAILAGE TO PORTS. EXPENSIVE HANDLING.

(Fbom Odh Own Cobbespokdbnt.) ; WELLINGTON, January* 26. Mr W. S. Glenn (Rangitekei) asked the Minister of Railways whether there {bolild ,-f be any reduction mode in the charges in connection with the railage of frozen meat from inland works to the ports. These v... charges, he said, were two and a-half, times ,V> greater than the chargee for the carriage of _ live ; stock. He was thinking particularly ' of works in the back country, such as Taj- \y hape, which were considerably handicapped by such heavy charges!, The Hen. D. H. Guthrie \ replied that the . reason for the increased charges was '. that special wagons were necessary, and the ,( upkeep of these had to be provided for. They could not be used for anything else, and they had always to make the" reteJm - ■ journeys empty; The matter had under consideration for some tiniS "by stile ’ ‘‘ department. He road a Idttertiirim-'tbp*’’i general manager of railways oa-’tiio/mA'i, ject, stating the above-mentioned facte, and' adding that the establishment of' xtwkr in-' land had involved the department "in , ' : 'fi l .* considerable increase • of expenditure-'.icr l . working the meat traffic. In most, cues the empty wagons to the works and ib#""-" loaded tracks from tbe_ works had 'to’ , T«Cv conveyed by special trains, and \rm4'&frfe&;'. .j quently wagons had to fee hauled''«fet»fy .f.j from one district to another andrarturaedT empty over the_ same distance. J-'Voe 'ttflF • purpose of facilitating the meat with. tHa>quickest despatch mum number, of trucks had to be utOiaedß , for the, minimum return of THm-r;’. experience in Wellington, Canterbury;; ‘ Otago had proved beyond any doubt ’that' for the handling of a given tonnage I 'df' frozen meat between works noarn u keapbr£*, and the. ships, at least 50 per cqrtti't fewtpti wagons were required than wore ’ffeoissary'.y£ for the same business where a was involved. The establishment Of ffiami:' meat works inland had also affected 'thfeßw ; ft stock business of the department', WS? cidentally, necessitated tlie provision. 6?. ■ ■ b tional trucks to deal with the shortjjftnled' traffic as against the long dartauce;' hoS*'^ 1 ness tljat was previously done. ’' ftr'iff rates were concerned, however, ; vnuf' ’- very little .difference in the rate ‘ * for live and dead sheep, and the finkbc&l,, circumstances were _ such as to "mjSjktf f reduction in rates inmraeticable.’/"J' r .>1