The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1888. The Timber Trade

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 56, 18 October 1888, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1888. The Timber Trade

In a recent issue we published an extract from the Napier News to the effect that the Minister of Public Works had decided to reduce the railway freight, on the Hawkes Bay line, on all kinds of timber for export to the same rate which is charged on white pine. This concession, as it now stands, is purely local, and is therefore a manifest injustice to the owners of sawmills on this coast, who are quite as much, if not more, entitled to consideration on the part of the Government than any other class of men in the colony. However, it is not our task, at the present time, to make any reference to the work the latter have done in the past, but to urge upon them to bring the strongest pressure to bear on the Minister of Public Works, so that they may obtain the same favors as their more fortunate brethren on the other side of the range. We understand a meeting of sawmill proprietors will be held Bhortly, when we would suggest that they discuss the question on its merits, and adopt some well defined line of action, and resolve to follow it vigorously to a successful issue. In this connection there is one obstacle in the way of extending their operations, which we feel assured could be easily removed. We refer to the difference between the charges for timber for shipment to ports in the colony, and for shipment to ports outside of New Zealand. That there are reasons for the difference we do not d jubt, but we have grave suspicions that the said reasons would not bear too close or critical examination. To reduce it to a point: — Timber from the same sawmills, carried over the same length of railway, but one part stowed in a vessel bound for Dunedin, and an equal quantity stowed in a vessel bound for Australia, cannot hay© altered their relative values ; yet, according to the Government regulations, this is the case. To elucidate this remarkable fact we quote from the Gazette of January 30, 1888 :—"Timber consigned from sawmills for shipment will be charged 3d per 100 superficial feet less than the classified rates. Red pine timber consigned for shipment direct to ports oxitside New Zealand will be charged 9d per 100 feet less than the classified rates." We see no reason why this distinction should not be removed. In conclusion we hope our local men will unite, and agitate until they obtain what they require, but whatever they do must be done quickly, as the Minister for Public Works will leave for Melbourne on Monday.