FREIGHTS ON FROZEN MEAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 15

FREIGHTS ON FROZEN MEAT.

The following correspondence has passed between Mr F. Waymouth, Secrotary of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, and the Minister for Railways: — " The Hon. the Minister for Railways, Wellington. — Sir. — I have observed from newspaper reports that you are contemplating reductions in railway rates ; the items mentioned at present are grain and dairy produce. I would respectfully bring under your notice the needs of the frozen meat trade in this respect. Frozen meat is now classed as D, which makes the rate from our respective works to port of shipment : Belfast, 15 miles, 7s 6d per ton ; Fairfield, 55 miles, 18s 8d per ton ; the rate of grain for the same stations would be 3s lOd and 93 Id respectively. In urging upon you the claims of this trade, I would point out that it is essentially a national institution ; your railway statistics will show the value of the incidental traffic by reference to the yearly revenue derived from Belfast and Islington, as it is not the meat alone which is carried, but also the wool, tallow, preserved meats, etc., which are subjects of daily production and consumption. In addition to the above, the freezing works, with their subsidiary business, are very large employers of labour; our wages at Belfast last year amounted to £29,129. Further, any Teduction in railway charges would at once he to the benefit of the small farmers, who are now the largest suppliers of stock forfreezing, as the cost of rail to port on the meat, ns well as the wool and tallow, regulates the price paid by the farmers, where the stock is bought for delivery at the works, and where the farmer ships himself, when, of course, he has to pay the charges. The extent to which the trade is spreading amongst the farmers of this district will be best realised when I tell you that this company, having 7500 shares, has 646 shareholders, almost the whole of whom are farmers in the Canterbury district, and a large proportion are meat shippers or producers. In addition to this, we have about 350 customers and clients who are occasional shippers, but not shareholders, thus making the number of farmers directly trading with this company to be over 900, and, as before slated, any reduction in rate would go straight to their pockets. To take our now Fairfield works as an instance for comparison with other charges, I would draw your attention to the fact that, as before Btated, the present charge is 18s 8d per ton, or exactly one-tenth of a penny per lb ; our total charge from Belfast, which includes railage to Lyttelton, and which we vary according to local charges, is one-fifth of a penny per lb ; this includes receiving, drafting, slaughtering, freezing, bagging, dedelivering to port, and providing bills of ' landing, each set of which costs 3s for stamps, and ac from Fairfield we propose making the railage an extra charge, the farmers will at once see the difference. I would further urge that the competition from Australia and River Plate has been seriously felt. I need not go beyond this year as an instance of this, and name the opening price for lamb for both last year and this. Last year lamb ripened in London at 7d per lb, this year (in consequence of the heavy importations from Australia) it opened under 5d per lb r and is to-day quoted at 4id. In view of all the circumstances, therefore, I trust you will see your way to consider the frozen moat trade in your proposed reductions ; in Canterbury more especially its scope is far wider than that of the dairy nroduce industry, Rnd. there-

fore, -a substantial reduction in the rate o/ carriage would be fully appreciated by tha farmers in the district, and would encourage them to take steps towards extending their operations. — Yours faithfully, F. Waymouth, Secretary. Christchurch, March 22." "-New Zealand Government Railways head office, Wellington, 4th April, 1899.— Sir,— With reference to your letter of the 22nd ult., urging that the railway rates on frozen meat be reduced, I have the honoui, by direction oi the Minister for Railways to inform you that he regrets he cannot see his way to make any further reduction in the frozen meat rates.— I have, etc., T. Ronayne, general manager.