C.M.A. ‘grateful rail charges held’

Press, 2 March 1982, Page 2

C.M.A. ‘grateful rail charges held’

The Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association has dissociated itself from a statement by the executive director of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (Mr Kelvin Willis) on the latest increase in rail freight charges. Mr Willis had said that Canterbury manufacturers and businessmen were upset about the 15 per cent increase. The director of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association (Mr I. D. Howell) said yesterday that Canterbury manufacturers were gratified that New Zealand Railways had held many railferry ; freight charges. The association dissociated itself from Mr Willis’s comments, he said. “For the Railways to hold, and in some cases reduce by uo to 20 ner cent its Cook

Strait ferry freight charges is an important breakthrough for South Island manufacturers, many; of whom have their major sales areas in the North Island,” Mr Howell said. The association was often critical of railway pricing policies, he said. However, it commended Railways for holding many Cook Strait freight charges as these were the main cost problem area in transport in New Zealand. “We can overcome our transport hurdles only by working closely with all sectors of the transport industry,” Mr Howell said. "Regrettably the chamber’s inaccurate and simplistic,, statement, which indicated it’ was expressing the view of manufacturers, does not give credit where credit is due.

“Certainly freight charges and deliveries are a major problem for the South Island. Our association, together with the Otago-Southland Manufacturers’ Association is in the final stages of a South Island freight study, which we hope will be able to bring recommendations to the Government on how the South Island freight cost problem can be eased. "One thing we have learned in our studies ... is that the South Island’s freight problem is a complex matter,” he said. Mr Howell said that last week association officers had discussed transport problems . with the Minister of Trade and Industry’ (Mr Templeton), and the general manager of New Zealand Railways (Mr T. M. Hayward).