The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1885. Railway Tariff

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 145, 23 May 1885, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1885. Railway Tariff

A deputation waited on the Hon. J. Bai-lakoe at Wanganui on Thursday with the view of laying before him a supposed injustice persons interested in the timber trade labor under in regard to the tariff in log timber carried by rail on the Wanganui section of railway. Mr Cobkfoot, who was the voice of the deputation, said that the subject was not a new one to Mr Baixaxce, as the latter gentleman and Mr Cobnfoot had already waited on Mr Maxwell, the General Manager, who had given a very curt negative to their application to be placed on the same footing as Napier. The concession referred to was made to Napier only, by the Hon. Mr Mitchblson when Minister for Public Works, and is as follows: — "Round logs consigned to Waipukurau, Napier, and the Spit will be charged at the same rates as white pine, Wellington section." That this regulation was a mistake in many ways was soon discovered by the department, and the Hon. Mr Richardson has said that the privilege ought to be taken away from Napiur. We agree with him for the reason that if such a rate were charged on this line, it would have the effect of closing up the sawmills now established, and thereby reducing our working population to a minimum. The Manchester Block is the centre of the largest timber producing district in the colony ; one which has been, and now is, almost entirely dependant on the export of sawn timber for its prosperity, or in fact its actual existence. Should this means of living be taken away by the railway freight being made so low that timber could be sawn cheaper at Wanganui or Foxton than at the edge or in the centre of the forest, a gross injury would be done to a large and iudustrious community for the benefit of a few individuals who are the fortunate possessors of mills at those ports. We hare no fear that the request of the deputation will be granted by the Minister for Public Works. We notice that Mr Ballanck asked the deputation to make out a strong case in order that be might support it with the Minister for Public Works. We have every confidence that such an attempt will be made, but that success will reward their efforts we do not believe. Mr Ballancb did one injury to this district when he took the duty off imported timber, the consequences of which were at the time almost disastrous. Let us hope that he will not fall into a similar error now, for if the Minister of Public Works were ad short-sighted as to do this thing, Mr Ballanoh would be in a great measure blameabl*.