RAILWAY GOODS RATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3020, 31 January 1912, Page 10

RAILWAY GOODS RATES.

FARMERS' UNION DISSATISFIED. AUCKLAND, January 24. Tho Auckland Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, at a mooting to-day, discussed the ditlerent rates ruling on the New Zealand railways in respect to local and imported articles. The secretary, in a report to fchs executive, said that efforts ft have preferential railway freights removed had not yet met with success, and though the Minister of Railways had received requests from the executive and many of the oranchea of the. union to have them removed, his answers had been in the negative. A letter on the subject from the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister of Railways, was read, in which the Minister stated that, with a view Jo assistin"- the development of the country and helping to establish local industries t.> provide employment for the artisans and other classes of skilled and unskilled labour, the Government, many years ago, adopted the policy of flurrying New Zealand natural products @-jd Articles, ioc-iliy manufactured

at a lower rate than the imported articles. That this course was wise was tliown by tho extent of the focal industries to-day and the general condition of the people of New Zealand. It was not that the ch-eumslances were such as to warrant any departure from the policy that had proved so beneficial in the past, or that the adoption of the of the Farmers' Union would commend itself to the general community. The Minister add.9d that, after giving the matter full consideration, he could not fee' his way clear to make any alteration in the existing tariff charges. After consideration of the letter, and dissatisfaction with the reply had been expressed, the following resolution was carried:—" That Copies of the reply sent by the Minister of Railways, and copies of the preferential rates in existence, be sent to the Dominion executive, and also to each provincial executive, asking that they co-operate with the Auckland executive in having the matter brought forcibly before Parliament when it meets." *'