THE RAILWAY RATES ON GRAIN. WELLINGTON November 25.
A question was before the Cabinet yesterday respecting the rates charged for conveyance of grain by Government railways. Some dissatisfaction has been expressed at the recent change by which the grain is charged according to weight instead of by the sack, It is complained by those who send grain by rail that this new charge, although professedly not intended to extract more money, nevertheless does so to an extent which is seriously felt by persons interested in the trade. It appears that increased revenue was really not; the object of this change, but simply improved convenience in working. It has become the practice of grain growers to send sacks of such enormous weight that one man of average strength cannot handle them. This does not matter so much at the large stations such as Christchurch, Lyttelton, Timaru, Dunedin, and Oamaru, where a large staff is maintained, but it forms yery troublesome objections at the small stations where a very limited staff is kept, and in many instances the excessive weight of the cornsacks has actually involved two men being employed at; a loss to the department, when one would easily have managed the work had the cornsasks been of more convenieufc weight. The department thus lost both ways, a sack of corn grew to represent a considerably larger weight than that which had been taken as the basis of tho tariff, and it was carried at an increased cost for the reason just given. It was to rectify this unfairness that the change was made. I understood, however, that upon a careful analysis of return*, &c., it has been discovered that the scale of charges does involve an increase which was not intended (as much, I believe, as 7 per cent.), and the Cabinet, in consultation wifch the Railway department, has had under consideration the desirableness of modifying the tariff in accordance with the representations made by the grain growers of Canterbury and Ohago. No definite decision has yet been arrived at, but there is reason to believe that, in view of all tho circumstances of the case, a modification will be conceded in the direction desired.
THE RAILWAY RATES ON GRAIN. WELLINGTON November 25.
Otago Witness, Issue 1932, 30 November 1888, Page 14
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