DEPUTATIONS TO THE PRIME MINISTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2756, 9 January 1907, Page 18

DEPUTATIONS TO THE PRIME MINISTER.

RAILWAY GRAIN FREIGHTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OA3IARU, December 31. A deputation representing the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce and the Waitaki County Council waited on Sir J. G. Ward at the .railway station to-<iay, when he passed through to Dunedin. The deputation, for ivhich Mr Maitland Jones was chief spokesman, l'epresented to the Premier the necessity for a considerable reduction in the charge for hauling grain on the railways and from, the stores to the port, llie conditions apply in an importa-nt degree to the Bluff, Dunedin, Timaru, and Lyttelton, as well as to Oamaru. It was pointed out that the rate of Is per ton charged for sucih haulage as against the mileage rate on grain from country sidings over 12 miles- away, or the minimum rate of 2s 6d on ali grain Irom sidings at shorter distances, represented a very ap^ecjable item to the producers, who were bound to make use of town stores for storage purposes. The handling of trucks railed direct to the wharf from the country was not any less than tdiat of trucks intended for the stores, for the trains had in any case i to be remade in the railway yard. The reconsideration of the rate was urged upon tlie Premier, to whom tire suggestion was made that the haulage from the stores to the port should be done free, or at most for not more than 6d per ton— half the present rate. The subject of the charge for unloading grain from trucks at flic ship's side was also mentioned by the deputation. A six-ton truck could be unloaded in 20 minutes by three men, who are paid Is 3d per hour." It thus cost the Department Is 3d per hour for work, for whioh the consignor was charged 3s, or if the time occupied in unloading a truck were a little longer there was still a wide margin, and a considerable profit w-as made out of the producer. . ' ! The Prime Minister promised to bring I the matter under the notice of the Minister of Railways. HARBOUR MATTERS. A second deputation representing the Harbour Board, journeyed with Sir J. G. Ward to Maheno for th'o purpose of laying certain matters before him. Mr R. Milligan. Mayor, acted as spokesman, in the absence of Mr J. S. Holmes, chairman of the board. The first matter mentioned was the seizure by the Railway Department several years ago of a valuable piece of vacant land fronting Thames street, which was taken for railtrav purposes, but for which no compensation had ever been given. The deputation mentioned the straitened finances of the board, and urged its claim for JB3OOO, the value of the land, or the return of the larger part of the land, which has never been used. The second matter mentioned to the Prime Minister was a claim for £572, put in by the Railway Department for certain work done in connection with sidings for the new wharf. When the wharf wae> projected the board asked Lhs department to lay a siding from the wharf to the railway yard, and the department agreed to do so. the beard to pay the cost of the earthwork in connection therewith, estimated at £400. The work had ben done, but instead of laying one direct line the department la ; d a group of four tidings, and is daily vising tho>e now for ordinary shunting purposes, though the wharf is not yet finished, and

t- has not yet been used. The deputation i submitted that tile sidings were really an ■s extension cf the station yard, and that tihe> board should not be asked to pay for such) I. work. Even if the department would not defray the whole co|t, the board should >. not be asked to pay more tihan the amounts of the original estimate. ' ■r The Prime Minister agreed to _te_tibn these matters to the Minister of Railways, >- within whose department they came, and the deputation returned to town by the a special express, 'with the impression tb*S some satisfaction in the latter matter may 3 be looked for. i "~"~*~_ '