RAILWAY RATES AGAIN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 925, 19 September 1910, Page 6

RAILWAY RATES AGAIN.

, Sir,—Shortly, after the. present Minister for.Railways was' appointed,an-influential deputation, introduced Iby Mr... Feild,' .M.P., waited, i.upon him •in connection irith long-distance rates ;for carriage ,of; timber .in the hope 'of securing.a tion ■ to;enable ;the local product -to compete, on; better .terms -with. ' the;imported article—more"'particularly Oregon.. \\ The '. reply then 'given 'wris that the Minister intended;to-make',.the railways /pay.'and: that. any. alterations in the tariff ,:wquld : ; ;be in" the direction, of an' increase.',' The of'classified' ; and special, rajtes. was-introduced atHhe- same : (time;/-and: the /stated• that"'' he' intended to look carefully.'into,.these,with: the view; of rectification,.but,so/far .as. the . timber, trade. ,is concerned;. nothing whatever -"has' been - done,. • although'' the' attentio'n of„the i Minister-, lias been called; to. the matter ;again and again,: My ''object in writing now/is to- call the atteh.tib'ii of.;the-Wellington: public to'the fact '; that 'Auckland;.; for some reason,.'is'; speci-. \a\\f favoured': in .the -matter Of;railway;, 'rates on. : timher, and..that some mills • supplying that ni arket- are" favoured: above' others,, as the:following/table>ill show:'—. ■■■■■,■!.( :.:C-^Mv^/{( ; -. : .- '?','■>',''■: Cpi-'.';" ;"■■":-.';■-. '.-:.•;'.'': l-\ '■'."■ /; -..'"-'. '-.- ''•; /cession. ■'■'■' Classified- : \.'Local ;■.''per ', '-.'• ;■ !:'.'.'„'v-'."''rate!..'.:'■",.':.fa.te.i.;.' -100 ft. -Helensville to Vs. d. '-. ■ : sid..' ',' d.; :Auokland ; :-;;.;. i;. 10 i-;-;,;'-ir.4 '.'■-•./''.6'Maniakn to;. !. ': '■'■"■."''. ■/ " ;;■;;' ; Auckland :^.v.-S';9';;-./;.- : '8:;0 /'::..: 9 ■ Mahgapeehi to ' : ".'■■'■'<■' • ■ ' .-'- '">>'• '■■'■•■' ■ ' Auckland :';>...-.3/ 7,>;/ /. -',7//: Putaruru to' ■-• '■- ■'■ ': "■'••.'.•.■'-'■■. :/ '•'■'■[' : -.'f'.'"-'':'"'' Auckland ;,,.., 3,7" ' -''3' ,0"'" : .'V.'V-7-'. ■"'■■. Taumarunui to : '- ! '-' ; . ;'. : ' ": •'■: ,,: '-" : Auckland: v';.. 3 6':;'; ':/5v..: ■'- Now*,■ iso far 'as-the■'. Wellington'.'market is'.: concerned; ■'; what .'.'(ld.';.; we •'•'find ?.'■';■;-. The' only concession granted according' to -the . tariff-is.'3d.'; r/er.lflOft.y below..classified ; rates.; So ; the: timber. i. merchants; "and ' through' them the building .public bf-.Wel- ■ lington are.taxed for railway.enrriageiof: their, timber, to \ , extent ;: than Auckland, arid', t]iis \has .been'■. going; on: : for years. • Can the 'Railway/Dopa/i'tmeutthemselves or-anyone/interested ;.in ; the timber trade. tell lis why.?—l am, etc., . '■ ' IIEECH&NT/':'- |: '; Wellington,; September 15, ; i9loj| V ;/;-./