THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT AND COUNTRY TRADE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3030, 12 March 1881, Page 2

THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT AND COUNTRY TRADE.

[To the Editor op the Daily Telegeaph.] Sir, —Can you inform me why it is that people residing at a distance from Napier, and who obtaiu their supplies at places outside of that town, and use the railway as a means of transit of the same from the port, are placed at a disadvantage as compared with those pereoas similarly situated in other parts of New Zealand. In the Wanganui and Rangitikei districts, and in the whole of the South Island, persons can buy their goods in what appears to them to be the best markets, and have them consigned to the ne?rest railway station to their residence. The Railway Department receives your goods at the ship's side (when the lines run down the wharf, as in Napier), sign ships receipts, pay freight and all other charges', and collect the amount of fame at destination, and in every way the Department act as your forwarding agent. But we are not so forturnate. Our goods arrive from Wellington or elsewhere by steamer, and are discharged right on to the railway lines ; but instead of then and there being taken by the railway people and forwarded per first train to their destination they are received by a forwarding agent, and carted to a store at a distance, and then carted to the railway station. The consequence is, we have to pay two cartages, and an agent's fees, which rapterially increase the cost of goods, and could be saved if the Napier railway authorities would take the same intesest in the trade of our country districts as is displayed by their brethren in other parts of the colony.—l am, &c, Waipawa.

Waipawa, March 10, 1881