The Star. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1903. A NECESSARY CHANGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7231, 18 October 1901, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1903. A NECESSARY CHANGE.

Mr Lsurcr.s«-.n, M.TT.]!., will havf' the host wishes of a united Canterbury for the nu'crss of the ciYovt which he is making t;i erVer:t a. reduction in tlie rates charged tm ih? railway between Cbvistchuroh, and LyUelloii. l'<y those, people whom the ?>lu>e Ins pinched for many years the rates have lo:uv been i-e^arrlcd as an intolerable in-j!.i-lire, and even iho great mars of the public which is not accustomed to trouble itself with such matters, has a 'hazy notion that it is being unfairly treated. The j hitter mu?t have had its eyes opened by the statistics which Mr Laurenson laid lj?fi;is the Minister of Kail ways yesterday. Tree figures, which were published in our is-u.3 of yesterday, are designed t'J draw a. coinparisen between the charges on the LytU'lton-Chrisichureh line and those rul-' iiiit i» other parts of the colony, and a A-ery efftttive and instructive comparison they mik.:-. They show that, for every product and article of merchandise carried by rail between Christ church and Lyttelton, ths rates are higher than those ruling on any cther lines to the ports of this colony. In some cases tho difference is so much out of proportion that it is not to be wondered at that the opponents of the present Government declare that a deliberate attempt is being made to exploit Caiitrrbury in order to favour other parts of the colony. The impartial observer, of course, realises that the Government has r.'o such intention, and that its policy is simply a letracy v.'hich ha* descended to it from its predecessor?. But they not unnaturally desire that it should be rescinded. Ifc is not a." ii she wkole country "had laid the line and: pierced- the tunnel, through the Port Hills, and had 10 pay n, largo sum in intereston the t:«it of thos* works. As everybody knows, it was Canterbury which built the tunnel and constructed the line, a«d was compelled to hand them over to the Central Government when tlie Province* were abolished. "Under thes<c circumstances, it in nothing short of an injustice that the people of Canterbury should b& obliged to pay heavier rates for the use of the line than those ruling on other New Zealand lines. For our part, we should have thought that if any difference were made it should be in favour of, xathtr thaa against, Canterbury.