RAETIHI RAILWAY MATTERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 429, 21 November 1930, Page 10

RAETIHI RAILWAY MATTERS

ELAT RATE PROPOSED A gathering of about 40 persons representative of the Waimarino County Council, Raetihi Borough Council, Raetihi Chamber of Commerce, Ohakune Borough Council, Raetihi Farmers’ Union, Raetihi Co-operative Dairy Company, and the business people of Ractihi, met Mr Pringle, commercial agent of the Railway Department, iu Ashwell Hall, on Tuesday forenoon. The Mayor, Air H. W. Littlewood, presided, he having convened the conference. He apologised for the inconvenient hour of the meeting, 10 a.m., and was pleased to see so many present. With one exception he thought every business establishment was represented. They were met to discuss with Mr Pringle the problem of road transport competition with the railway. The chairman read a letter he had sent to the Minister, pointing out that it would be futile to appoint a vigilance committee to endeavour to win back business for the railway as long as the freight, charged by lorry carrier was so much lower. For 'some classes of goods the lorry was 38s less than the railway. It might seem inconsistent for people to ask for the railway to be continued when they did not make use of it, but a business man could not pay £2 more for freight than his competitor could do. The distance from Wanganui per road was only half that per rail. Goods were sent much quicker per road and the lorries were taking away from the railways about £5O to £6O per week. The people would like to be loyal to their own railway, but. they could not pay so much more freight. A firm of carriers was offering to cart goods from Wellington for 4s 6d per cwt. They had recently secured a contract to cart timber to Wellington, and wanted back loading. Legislation was required to deal with motor transport opposition to railway. The wool shearing had just about commenced, and he was afraid the railways would lose that carriage. There, would be two sets of carriers at work. One would cart the wool to Wanganui or Wellington and would be anxious for back loading, while there was another company that had to get

back loading in the other direction. The railways must reduce their running costs.

Air H. A. Wright said they would not, admit the branch line was not paying. He considered it was one of the best paying branches in the Dominion.

Air Riepcr pointed out. that the line might be paying now but what of the future in view of the cheap motor lorry

Air D. P. Scarfe contended business people should not take too seriously specail cuts in freights.

Air C. D. Lynch would like to know if there was to be any increase in stock rates. The market could not stand any further rise. There had been three rises of 10 per cent since the war.

Air G. J. Goldfinch declared the freight on the lower grade of firewood should be reduced. It had recently been increased. Some lorries were taking firewood back to Wanganui and Palmerston as ballast. If the railway did not carry firewood at a reduced rate many thousand cords of firewood would go up in smoke. Mr T. S. Fagg would like to know if the railway would enter a freight war with the carriers. There was also tho question of delivery from, warehouse to shop door.

Air Lucas, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, asked if the railway could not make a flat rate between Raetihi and Wanganui or Palmerston, the same as had been done between Hamilton and Auckland. The chairman mentioned the cartage of mails and children from and to Ohakune District High School. He thought the State itself could do that and make a saving to the consolidated funds. Mr Pringle, iu reply, thanked the business people of the district for meeting him at such an inconvenient hour. It certainly was very gratifying to see such an. interest in their own railway. With regard to wool traffic last winter he interviewed the sheepfarmers of this district, and they all promised to send their wool by rail. He believed they would honour those promises. With regard to small lots he reminded the meeting that all business people had to charge more for small parcels pro rata than big lines, and the railways had to do the same thing. W’ith regard to recent increases there had been an advance only on five classes of goods, including firewood. The Royal Commission had recommended this increase and it had been a policy matter and agreed to. The Commission has recommended local rates where necessary. He explained the action of the Department with regard to the freezing companies and freight on frozen meat. The freight between Hamilton and Auckland had been reduced about half to meet motor traffic and the motors had been pushed off the road. With regard to the alteration to the branch timetable the district traffic manager had the alteration under consideration. He was prepared to recommend to the Department that if the people or the business establishments were unanimous and would promise to get their goods by rail and the settlers send away their produce by rail, there should be a specail flat local rate to apply to the five higher classed goods. That would be a shade more than the lorries were quoting. That would be a special rate from Wanganui to Palmerston. There was a special rate in force now between Palmerston and Wellington. A general discussion ensued in which several took part. Replying to Mr Sigley it was stated that the railways had to draw the limit somewhere, and Mr Pringle admitted that if a line was one pound over a quarter it was charged the next highest rate. The freight was per cwt. of per quarter, and it would be impossible to charge per pound weight. The Department had made arrangements for delivery in some places, but as most of the films at Raetihi had their own lorries he did not think the charge would be less if the railway obtained prices from carriers and did the delivery.

Mr Pringle said the guarantee would have to be for one year, and the shopkeepers must be unanimous. Doubt was expressed as to whether it would be possible to get all the shopkeepers to give up the road transport. The chairman pointed out that the interests of the community must be stressed, and the people of tho district should put the interest of the whole place before any individual gain or profit. Air Pringle pointed out that the railway in a district meant something more than cheap freight. The people should be prepared to pay for the comfort and convenience. With regard to carriage of lime, to farmers the regulations at present, provided that, a farmer getting lime free was required to send his produce to market, by rail. W’ith regard to the specail local rate charged Io the two dairy fai’lories in the dis-

trict the railway did not care where the prodin e went to as long as the railway did the carrying. Tho Department quoted one price to Wanganui and a price to Wellington. Messrs C. H. Ball, Newall. C. W. Rait, C. Lynch, B. A. Drury, W. Wraidegrave, C. B. Scarrow, and others took part in the discussion. It was agreed that the offer of Mr Pringle be considered favourably and that a committee, comprising Messrs IL W. Littlewood (mayor), A. S. Ashmore (president Farmers’ Union), R. Sigley and T. S. Fagg (Borough Council), J. H. Lucas (chairmar Chamber of Commerce), H. Rieper (Dairy Company), AV. H. Sandford, A. E. Erwin and C. H. Lynch, be appointed to get the signatures of the business people to the agreement for one year. Air Goldfinch agreed to endeavour to get a committee to work at Ohakune and to obtain the signatures of the

people in that borough. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Air Pringle for meeting the residents and he replied thanking those present for endeavouring to make an honest attempt to help to solve the problems of transport and of tho railways, which belonged to the people. A hearty vote of thanks to the chair brought, the meeting to a conclusion after about two hours’ deliberations.