CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 955, 17 July 1877, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

the new railway tariff. At a special general meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, held yesterday, the following report of the sub-committee appointed to consider the railway tariff was adopted: — Your committee submit the following report > and after having held several meetings and considered the subject, they are of opinion that the Minister for Public Works should be requested to give his best attention to the recommendations contained herein. 1. We are of opinion that no necessity exists for the increase in the passenger fares on the Canterbury Railways. That this additional taxation, if persisted in, will have the effect of materially interfering with the continuance of the rapid progress made during the last five years, by this the most profitable branch of all railway traffic; in fact, during the past two weeks in which the new rates have been in force, the number of passengers has been considerably under the average, more particularly in the Saturday trains on the country lines. Your committee cannot understand why so great a reduction should be made in season tickets if it were thought necessary to increase the daily ones.

2. Luggage Department—This department might be arranged so that greater facilities would be given to the public for the conveying of small goods by passenger trains. People travelling from the country would often bring ■with them small lots of produce, but are prevented by the regulations. The Government would do well to imitate the American system in the carrying of passengers' luggage and small goods, in providing better accommodation in carriages used for long distances, and in the mode of issuing tickets. It has been suggested that there should be a class called "small goods" so arranged that small goods could be carried by passenger or goods trains at different rates to those now charged. Your committee could give many instances of great inconvenience through the want of this department. 3. Classification of goods under the new tariff is in many cases inconsistent and requires revision. All goods are now being carried at 22401bs to the ton except on the Port line. Your committee fail to see why this exception should be made, as at present arranged measurement goods paythree or four times the carriage between Lyttelton and Christchurch than they do on upcountry lines for the same mileage. This regulation only tends to increase the clerical work of the railway department, as importers will get over the difficulty by landing all measurement goods in Lyttelton, paying the terminal charge and forwarding them under the weight class. While admitting the difficulty of classification to meet the views of all branches of business, the trainers of the _ present regulations cannot have given consideration to the value and bulk of the various articles, or why should the following be charged the same rates. In class A. silk goods and agricultural machinery; cigars and oars; tea and slate or marble slabs (at owner's risk). In Class B. canvas in bales, and empty bottles ; shot in bags and carriage bodies. In Class C. cotton waste and crow-bars ; boats and pig lead; millstones and shrubs ; malt and steel or tin. In Class D. anvils and pig iron and fungus. Numerous other instances can be given to prove that the classification is bad and should have the earliest

attention of Government. While on this subject your committee would submit that if the Government do not see their way to carry all goods by weight as contemplated by the tariff, then why not on the Port line take the classification by weight or measurement now in use by the shipping companies of New Zealand and readjust the tariff accordingly. This we have reason to think would be much moro convenient for merchants and railway in the matter of accounts.

In class E (grain) it is proposed to charge as five bushels all sacks containing over four bushels; ten bags of wheat containing four and a quarter bushels each, or equal to fortytwo and a half bushels, will be charged as fifty bushels. This is so manifestly unjust that we hope the following may be substituted —When grain sacks contain over four bushels the railway authorities may have the option of charging by actual weight. We notice in this class that upcountry stores are allowed a part of the terminal charge for loading or discharging. We cannot understand that this advantage should be given to them alone, and we recommend if it_ be considered advisable to continue this, then it should also be allowed to owners of stores at Christchurch, Lyttelton, and Timaru, who do their own labor. In Class F your committee are at a loss to understand the principal on which the terminal is fixed at 6s 3d per truck, when it is well known thot 9d per truck is ample for a terminal on coal at Lyttelton, and 2s Gd at Christchurch, and in like proportion this applies to other goods under this head. We are also of opinion that it is very unwise to allow any terminal work to be conducted by private firms, unless when sidings are granted. At present merchants are allowed to put their own men in the trucks on the Lyttelton wharves and at the Christchurch railway yards. This will continue as long as the present regulations are in force, as a saving is effected to the importers of from 7s 6d to 10s per truck. This, coupled with the twelve hours given to discharge will, in the opinion of your committee, harass the management very considerably. Should the Government continue the system of private firms doing terminal labour this regulation might be modified to read —four hours only per track should be allowed for discharging coal and timber, after that time the railway management should have the option of discharging in the yard, then twelve hours might be allowed to have them removed. Coal shipments should be passed over the Government weighbridges, and a small charge made for so doing; and your committee would urge the Government to fulfil a promise long made, that a weighbridge should be put down in some convenient part of the Lyttelton yard. Wool. —Your committee do not find that any alteration is necessary under this class except for distances, say over fifty miles. A. much greater reduction should be allowed than that now proposed, and this remark will apply to all goods, particularly of the heavier class. Your committee are of opinion that the charge over fifty miles should be reduced to the very lowest point, and when necessary special rates should be framed to compete successfully with water or any other carriage, on the principle that when the railways are finished they must, under certain circumstances, do all the traffic of the country if they cover cost. At present several classes of goods can be taken from Christchurch via Lyttelton and steamer to Timaru, at half the cost of rail carriage. We find potatoes are charged at Is 8d per ton for weighing, and wheat 5d per ton. We suggest that there should be no difference, and that potatoes should be at the same rate as grain, and where weighing is paid for, then the Government should give receipts guaranteeing that such weight is correct. Sheep and cattle rates are far too high, and will simply prove prohibitory if not reduced to about one half of the present tariff, which we recommend should be done immediately. Storage at Christchurch should be reduced to Is per ton per day. This would still be a prohibitory Jrate, and it would not prove so great a hardship when mistakes are made. Sundays, wet days (on which outdoor work is suspended) and holidays should not be computed as time for storage purposes. Malt and oatmeal should be charged in same class as Hour and sharps. Bran should pay rate and half. We cannot understand why flour should be carried at 220< libs for a ton. We think it should be carried at the recognised ton of the trade, 2000Ibs- When a number of trucks of merchandise arrive for any one consignee in one day, the manager should have discretionary power in extending the time of taking delivery to a reasonable limit.

It should bo immediately decided who is the authorised person in this provincial district to receive summonses for small claims, damages,&c, against the railway department. In presenting to the Chamber this_ interim report, your committee do not wish it to be understood that their duties terminate here, as they intend to continue watching the working of the tariff, and will report from time to time. P. Cunningham, Chairman. 16th July, 1877.

It was also resolved that the report be forwarded to the Minister for Public Works, and that Messrs Stevens, Aynsley, Palmer, and Stead be requested to wait on Mr Ormond with a view to the early revision of the tariff.