The Feilding Star. WEDNESDAY, JUE 21, 1882.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 2, 21 June 1882, Page 2

The Feilding Star. WEDNESDAY, JUE 21, 1882.

GRAIN TRAFFIC.

In reply to a question re grain traffic in the House, it was stated by tlie Minister for Public Works tbat the railway tariff was under consideration, with the end to make certain alterations therein. The whole colony is painfully aware ot the necessity for this, but it is also aware that alterations in the tariff are not always improvements, and very often when an apparent reduction is made in the charges on some special article, there is generally some little addition, in the shape of a proviso, that admits of heavier charges being made, than

under the older and apparently more oppressive tariff. Take for instance grain rate.. According to the Gazette the charge fcr freight is at per ton of 10 sacks of 4 bushels each, or 260 lbs, but if these sacks happen to weigh, say, one pound each over this 'quantity, the charge is then made at a rate and a quaner for the whole weight. Now a man of ordinary intelligence, (not being a Government official) could understand the penalty of a rate and a quarter being charged ou the excess weight only, or even ou the ten sacks, which would at the outside only contain 5 bushels or 25 per cent more, and this would be fair enough. But it would never do for tbe official mind, so, not only is the penalty rate charged, but the additional weight is also charged for which means that 50 per cent additional is put on the unfortunate farmer, who grows heavy wheat that will weigh more than the official bushel, and actually giving a premium on the poorest wheat. Wheat growers in tbe North Island appear to have put a blind faith in the power of their suffering brethren south < f the Straits, to obtain exactly what tbey wanted from the Government, and a little more besides. We are not of these. We believe it possible for Canterbury farmers to be just as stupid and longsuffering as those in the North Island, and we doubt very much if Manawatu farmers would put up with half the petty annoyances inflicted on southern wheat growers for a week, without raising tribulation around the ears of somebody — whether the right somebody or not- As it now stands, the charges for grain carriage are simply a'snare and a delusion. When a larraer enquires from an official the tariff Irom his nearest station to tbe station he intends sending his grain, he is informed tbat it is, say, 10s per ton of 10 sacks of 40 bushels. He bases his calculations on this, and probably sells accordingly. But when he comes to reckon up what he actually has paid for railway freight, be finds he has been paying at the rate, of at the very least say, 15s per ton, because his wheat was of good quality, and happened to turn the scales in his favor a few pounds. On the other hand, should his sacks, from a variety of probable circumstances, happen to contain less than four bushels, he is still charged for full contents, no allowance of any kind being made to him. From beginning to end the thing is wholly wrong, and we will never rest until we see this and other anomalies in the tariff removed. We commend our remarks to those individually interested, and assure them that we will be glad to make public their opinions in order that the Government may bave impressed on it the fact that the Manawatu people have at last awakened to the knowledge that they have been hitherto a much neglected people, but are now determined to claim their right to be heard.