THE RAILWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5803, 22 February 1897, Page 3

THE RAILWAYS.

AMENDED BATES,

[From Our Correspondent.]

WELLINGTON, Feb. 22,

Some important changes have been decided on in the matter of railway freights, passengers' luggage, &c, of which the following is a short summary : —

First, with regard to the question of passengers' bond, fide personal luggage, which has been a cause of constant friction between the railway officials and the travelling public. It is well known that in many cases where passengers may desire to take with them a small parcel of groceries, a case of fruit, or other articles purchased for domestic use, they are compelled to pay for the carriage of them, though they may have no other luggage with them ; and in other cases some obliging railway officials are not so particular about enforcing payment. In order to put matters on a more satisfactory basis, the Minister has decided that all ordinary passengers shall be allowed to take with them free of charge 1121 b, consisting either of bond fide personal luggage, or any goods (furniture or bulky instruments excepted) which they may have purchased bond, fide for their own domestic use. Such goods, however, will be conveyed at the passengers' own rifak. No luggage will be allowed free to excursionists by day trips ; but excursionists travelling on trips extending over more than one clay will be allowed to take with then., free of charge, 1121 bof bond fide personal luggage.

Work-people will be allowed to take, at their own risk, any work-tools or work which they do at their homes, up to 1121 b, free of charge, as passenger's luggage.

Parcels. — The Minister has also approved of a new scale of parcels' rates. This scale, which As an exceedingly simple one, has been drafted with a view to " its being easily understood, and especially to encourage the carriage of parcels of 3lb to 281 b by passenger trains. It is proj>osed to extensively advertise this new rate, which is a very considerable reduction on the existing scale. The rates for parcels exceeding 281 b have not been reduced. In some cases they have been slightly increased. Ib is held that the carriage of heavy parcels by passenger trains should be restricted, as the goods services are more adapted for the carriage of bulky parcels, and the work of dealing with the parcels en route on passenger trains is calculated to delay them, and thereby increase the journey time. The policy of the Department will be to encourage by low charges the carriage of parcels between 31b and 2Slb, so that both the consumer and the producer may be brought into personal relation by means of the cheap rates. In this way a 31b parcel will be allowed to travel any distance on the New Zealand railways for 6d. A 'seven pound parcel up to 50 miles for Gd,"and any distance beyond that for Is. A 141 b parcel 30 miles for 6d; 50 miles for 9d ; 100 miles for Is ; 200 miles for Is Gd ; and any distance over 200 miles for 2s. A 28lb parcel can be carried 30 miles for Os 9d do. do. 50 miles for Is Od do. do. 100 miles for Is 6d do. do. 200 miles for 2s Od Any distance over 200 miles for 3s Od Sportsmen will be interested to learn that in view of the complaints which have been received in regard to the high rate ' charged for the carriage of small parcels of sportsmen's amunition which are now charged double rates, it ' has now been decided to carry safety small-arm cartridges at single parcels' rates. The effect of this will be that 141 b weight of safety smallarm cartridges will be carried 100 miles

for Is,

Eepresentations have been made from time to time to the Minister in regard to the rates charged for the carriage finished carriages and carts. These are considered by some to be excessive, but they are not considered so by the department, looking at the matter from the point of view of how such traffic will pay, on account of the large amount of space required for a single carriage. The Minister, considering that the trade should be met in some way, has decided to make a considerable reduction in cases where more than one carriage is carried on the same truck. Thus, two carriages sent from one consignor to one consignee carried on the same truck will be charged a rate and a half; and three cai m riages so carried will be charged for as two. Concessions are also made in the case of carnages sent for l'epair or hire. If the return journey be made within three months only half rates will bo charged for the return journey. Also in the case of old carriages exchanged for new ones, the old carriage will be carried at half rates, provided the new carriage be carried in its place within three months.

There are one or two minor alterations made in respect to the charges on small quantities of grain and other agricultural produce, by which the loading and unloading will, under certain conditions, be performed by the Eailway Department, without any extra charge being made.

Calves, sheep, goats and pigs such as are usually sent to market for consumption, will be charged at the tonnage rates, but valuable sheep, calves, pigs, goats, for stud or show purposes, will be charged at head rates, and if a special truck, separate truck and special despatch are required, then at truck rates.

In consequence of representations by marine store-dea'ers in different parts of the colony, the Minister has decided to carry in four ton lots mixed consignments of scrap zinc, scrap Jead, scrap copper, scrap brass, scrap pewter, old rope, waste paper, old rags, common bottles, old sacking, broken glass, bones and scrap iron at the mineral rates, class N.

Pressed chaff, which has hitherto been charged at a rate and a half, will be charged single rate. Coke, which has hitherto been charged a rate and a half, Class P, will be carried at Class N rate.

The charge of 2s 6d per waggon for haulage from Auckland by station to the Auckland railway wharf for lime, sulphur, bricks and pumice has been abolished.

The farthing per bale per mile for wool exceeding 4cwt per bale is abolished, and the excess weight above 4cwt per bale will be charged x>ro rata actual weight at Class A rate.

The special charges on the railways constructed under the District Eailways Act, and subsequently purchased by the Government, which have been in existence for many years, and have been the cause of much irritation to settlers living on those lines of railways have been entirely abolished,' and the charges levied in future will be those in force on the New Zealand railways as a whole. This reduction is quite outside the branch charge of a penny per ton per mile in addition to the classified rates on numerous branch lines in the South Island recently remitted by the Government. The district railways affected by this latest concession are Ashburton Forks, Wainiate, Duntroon, Hakateramea, Wainiea Plains. The district rates on the Thames Valley and Eotorua line have already been remitted.

As previously announced, considerable reductions have been arranged in the cause of education by the Minister for Bailways in conjunction with his colleague, the Minister for Education. Unfortunately it lias been found that there is a tendency on the part of some, to abuse these privileges, and to use them for purposes not intended. In future the Department will only issue tickets conditional on a roll being kept in such educational or examination place, subject to inspection by the officers of the Department. Eegulations will bo gazetted to give effect to this.

All the above alterations to the present scale of Eftfces will come into force on April 1, 1897. ■

Last year the British " postal correspondence with the United States was second only in magnitude to that with all the Great Powers of Europe combined, being about 41,000,000 letters, etc., as against 65,000,000 for Europe.