MEAT RAILAGE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12453, 20 September 1933, Page 2

MEAT RAILAGE.

PENALTY OF BACKBLOCK FARMERS.

In. the course., of a discussion oil transport, at the meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union at Master ton, Sir William Perry said he thought they Were getting into a dangerous position in this country in some respects owing to the efforts that were being made to protect the railways. He referred particularly to the rule under which the railways grant no rebate on meat freights if stock lias been carried for more than ten miles by road to a freezing works. Of stock killed at the local works from May, 1932, to June, 1933, Sir William went on to state, 320,000 carcases got the rebate and no rebate was allowed on 332,000 careasel. The Meat Board had made a very strong protest on this subject. There was no doubt that the practice in vogue penalised the backbloek farmer and this was happening all over New Zealand. There was no reasonable excuse for the attitude the Railways Board was taking up in this matter. The rule regarding the rebate was not helping the railways at all. When stock from a distance could come by rail, it came by rail. A large amount of the stock on which no rebate was allowed could not be carried by rail.

The rule regarding the rebate, Mr E. L. Rayner observed, had been intended to catch the man sixty miles or so up a railway who used the road. In this district, however, the people who lived sixty miles east (away from the railway) were caught as well as those who lived sixty miles north, within reach of the railway. Many people , were denied the rebate though their nearest railway station was Waingawa. The Railways authorities took a very narrow-minded view.

The Provincial President (Mr H. Morrison) remarked that this question could be put before Mr J. S. Hunter, Commissioner of Transport, who is to be invited to visit Masterton. -