Farmers Urged to Boycott Railways

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 669, 22 May 1929, Page 6

Farmers Urged to Boycott Railways

ANNOYED AT PENAL RATES STOCK FOOD AFFECTED Indignant protests against penal railway -freights were registered by the Farmers’ Conference now sitting in Auckland, and the drastic suggestion made that farmers should boycott the railways until the department abolished the penal rate. rpWO remits were submitted asking that the railways should not he used for protective purposes Captain Rushworth, M.P., the mover, said when goods, upon which duties already had been paid, were transported on the railways, there was a penal freight of 50 per cent. Timber was an instance, showing that a house built in the country would cost a great deal more than at the ports. Over 400 items in constant use were affected by these penal fares, cement being a heavily taxed commodity. The worst feature of the whole thing was that the penal rates had been inflicted without the authority of Parliament —a tribunal which never had discussed them. STOCK FOOD PENALISED Captain Rushworth quoted figures showing the rates charged. Stock and poultry food suffered severely, while molasses, linseed and other commodities were heavily penalised. A Delegate: And they wonder why poultry does not pay. Mr. Miln (Kawhia) seconded and attacked the railway policy on principle as well as for its specific hardships. . Mr. Barrowclough saw in the penal rates a profit for the coastal places and a burden upon the inland places. Timber and stock foods were glaring examples. Mr. R, H. Feisst asked for an all-round abolition of privileges, and said he felt sure that the fruitgrowers and others would be prepared to forego their davantages if every industry would be prepared to do the same. Mr. Allen (Tirau) said the railways were driving the business into the hands of the lorry owners. In reply to a query about subsidies, Captain Colbeck said the farmers did not want a subsidy hut merely equal treatment all round. If rates on manures went up, other means of ■cheap carriage could be secured. BOYCOTT SUGGESTED Mr. Harding asked that, in addition to the carriage ef the remit, every meinber of the Farmers’ Union be induced to boycott the raliways in cases where goods carrying penal freights could be'earried by motor-lorries; and, furthermore, that the hand of the Government he forced in abolishing them. In fact, he declared, the farmers should be prepared to pay a little more for lorry-carried goods to avoid being robbed by the railways. Mr. Melrose, also, expressed indignation at the penal freights, and urged the most thorough organisation throughout the Dominion in the campaign of pressure upon the Government. This would impress the Government with the power of the farmer. In reply Captain Rushworth said New Zealand flat freight rates were nearly the highest in the world. It was not honest to say this wqs to benefit the local article. It was to help the manufacturer and to assist the revenue.

He advised delegates to he missionaries in their own districts and stir up the interest to a “red-hot” pitch so that action would be taken.