ORECON TIMBER AND OUR RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 439, 23 February 1909, Page 9

ORECON TIMBER AND OUR RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

, Sir,—Last month our Railway Department issued a revised scale of timber charges for long distances. In this notice 1 the following lino appears: "Oregon T - timber- will be charged-rate and a-half." .Bow/many who read this notice will: tinderstanS what it really,means?. .In-.whose interest has this regnlation: Been made? Most certainly not .in, tho .intei-ost of the public. ■ It has unquestionably been /made, in the /interests of certain timber, millers. . .. ; ,.. ■ ■■■■." .-..-■

- Many of: yonr readers, 'sir,.,will remember that .during the. last session of Parliament an 'offorV was made to induce , it .to' impose ; an additional, import duty on-Oregon : timber.- Parliament did-not. see : fit- to- comply with the modest request. .The Railway Department, however, came. to. the rescue o£ tlie timber, dealers > and 1 said,-We will give' you eftectnal protection; wo will block the .transit of; Oregon timher by ; increasing the transit charges by one-half, or 50 :per cent '■''' . Let.us..seo.hoir this '.works. iThe duty on Oregon timber:is 2s. per 100 superficial feetrough/ , ;.ii "dressed" ; 4s/ . 'Tliiaadded to' other import charges, , , should be ample protection.,, The Railway Department ; however, says, We.wiir;do this: If a settler j •lo miles out decides to build 'a. houso: of :orei?pn pme.we: will charge for freight , on his f"iS'-'-V*i?' E er 'lOOft- super, instead; of: ll'}s-■' : -? ?0 1 ?" es out 2s:-instead ofls; 4d. : '« *S m'les out 2s. lid.- iiristead of ■ Is!-' lid: If 60, miles 3s. 9d. instead of 2s. Cd. If 100' miles 4s. :9d.. instead of 3s. 2d. If 150-miles ss..6d,;instead,of;3s. Bd., and so on. '■■■ ; :.-'- H ":■ ,_"; will, I think be seen that adding this extra.phargofor;freight to the 2s. duty and other import duties, Oregon timber is pretty well shut, out; but I ask what righthas'the Railway. Department, to so - over-rido- - the wishes and intentions of. Parliament. Their action, certainly.:has not -tended to promote .land settlement, and has .certainly hampered the distant settler.—Lam, ; etc,, , ;,". : ■■: • ■■-■;• . v i--■• ; :■ ":\' .i';.:-. -;v.-•■■ Samuel-yAiLE.^'