CORN EXCHANGE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2309, 29 August 1881, Page 3

CORN EXCHANGE.

A meeting of the members of the Corn Exchange was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Mr Thomas Bruce, the chairman of the Exchange, occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance. —The Chairman said that the object of the meeting was to take into consideration the railway tariffs and the advisability of the appointment of a Minister of Agriculture as a member of the Government. Mr Henderson, who was the prime mover in this matter, was unable through illness to ba present that day, but he bad sent a letter urging upon members of the Corn Exchange to ventilate their views as to the tariff, which was now prohibitive, especially in the carriage of cattle and sheep. At present the farmes bad to sell their sheep and cattle at the homesteads to drovers for whatever they could get, who drove the stock to market and did not use the railway. Ha trusted the members would consider this matter before the general election, as at present the farming interest was very poorly represented in the House—[cheers] —and he was of opinion that the agriculture? interest desrrvcd far mere attention than it received. At present he believed there was a Minis’ er for Mines with a School of Mines having four pupils, whilst in their School of Agriculture they had forly pupils, and the numbers ilftereusing, therefore he thought they had a fair claim to hava a Minister for Agriculture as a member of the Government, whoso duty it would ba to see that the agricultural interests were cared for. Ho should be glad if the members present would discuss the tariff for carrying sheep and cattle. Mr McAlpine said that per truck the cost for the first ten miles would be, cattle, 17s 6d ; and sheep, pigs, &0., 12s 63 ; for single beast (cattle) for the first ton miles the charge web 6i 6d each, and for a single sheep, 3s 6d, and 2d par mile for all over ten miles.—Mr Gamtnack said he understood that a single ram went as a parcel.— ilr Moßeath said the tariff prohibited persons dealing in stock bringing them to market by rail, as the railway absorbed all the profit. He thought the Government might well reduce the price, except in the rush of the grain season. —Mr Mila thought thought that 12s 63 per truck was a fair charge for thirty miles.—Mr Gammaok said that he could not see why they should be taxed so exorbitantly for carriage of stock when their railways were paying 7 per cent, on the cost.—Mr Miln said that he thought they in Canterbury were taxed to Day for railways in other parts where they did not pay. Ho was of opinion that the charge on grain for carriage was quite Jd per bushel too high. One of the members pointed out that the tariff pressed hardly on the farmers, because they had to arrange for loading and unloading.—Mr Qammeok said that though the rail way i did not cost so much to make here as in Australia, the carriage rates were far higher. This was owing to political railways in the North Island.—Mr Peryman said he thought Canterbury was entitled to exceptional rates, as to the carriage of grain, owing to the very large amount from here. In South Australia the Government had reduced the rates in the intarest of the farmers, losing thereby some £30,000 of revenue. Ho was of opinion that they should take means to have the farming interest represented far more than it was now, because there was no doubt that the farmers were the mainstay of the country. The grain tariff should be reduced, and the result would be a much increased revenue to the railway.— Messrs. Bailey, Peryman, and the Chairman referred to the fact that the carriers, particularly in the northern district, were competing successfully with the railway.—Mr MoBeath urged that the reduction of the tariff by lid a man farming 500 acres would save £75 in the year. He felt sure that the railway would get far more revenue if they reduced the rate.—Mr Hayden said if the farmers were of bis mind and did as he did they would soon bring the Government to their senses. Ho used horses, and did not patronise the railways more than he was absolutely obliged to. Another thing he wanted to see done was for the farmers to band themselves together and refuse to vote at the general election for any member who would not vote for the reduction of the railway tariff here, and also for the separation of this island as regarded railway management from the North. They had stuck loyally to the North Island, and helped them on all occasions, and now not only were they in Canterbury obliged to submit to a prohibitive tariff for the benefit of the North, but when justice in the matter of representation was asked for the South, some of the Northern members stonewalled the measure. [Hear, hear.] He trusted they would all band together and endeavor to obtain a reduction of the rates. —Mr Gam mack said the Government would, he felt sure, do something if the facts were stated to them. The Government were interested deeply in this matter, and if they were aware of what amount of prohibition this tariff came to they would, no doubt, reduce the rates. The hardship was this, they were paying for the railways here, and also paying property tax to keep up railways in other parts that did not pay for the grease need on their wheels.—Mr Bailey said some two or three years ego his yearly cost for railway transit amounted to £3OO or £4OO. Now he was let off with about £4O per year.—Mr Eater said that now two-thirds of the stock from the Amberley and Eangiora districts went by the road on account of the high railway tariff. Ho felt sure that by a reduced tariff the Government would get twico the business they now did.—Mr David Dick thought they should carry a resolution pointing out to the Government that carmen were competing successfully with the railway. It was their duty at the next general election to put in members who would represent their interests. Their member for the Ashley had been no good to them at all.—A Member: “You might have known that when you elected him.”—Mr Dick : “ I didn't vote for him.” (Laughter.)—Mr Peryman moved—“ That a sub-committee be appointed to eollect facts with regard to the railway tariff, and report at an adjourned meeting to bo held that day week.”—Mr Miln seconded the motion. They could then go to the Government with statistics to show their case. They could not well divide their railways north and south, as they wore all bound up together in the security to the bondholders. They might advocate differential rates on their lines, which were now producing 2 per cent, more than the interest on the loans. The resolution was put and agreed to.—The following gentlemen were appointed as the sub-committee ;—> Captain Willis, Messrs Gammack, Dick, Bruce, Miln, Mathias, and Bailey. The chairman said ho thought that the passenger fares should bo reduced. He thought the Government might vrcll carry the passengers at 2d per mile for first class and Id for second. Again he thought that there should be another single faro train ran during the week, say on Wednesdays as well as Saturdays. [Hear, hear,] In Australia the rates were very much lower with far more accommodation than here.—One of the members said he could not see the policy of having a Wednesday single fare train, as he might say on his lino it simply meant that on other days the lino might shut up.—Mr Ensor supported the views of the chairman. The reason he did so was that the Saturday traffic was very great, and if a second train were run on Wednesdays this would relieve it, besides being a convenience for attending the market. The Chairman said that he thought what they had done was a step in the right direction. The publicity that their proceedings that day would obtain would give their mem ers in the Assembly, or would-be members, a bit of their minds. It would also tend to got the farmers to bind themselves together. If they did this they could got what they pleased. [Hear, hear.] People often said, “ Oh, you farmers are always grumbling about yourselves; why don’t you stand up for your rights, as you have the matter in your own hands. ” He was glad they had met that day, because they were now determined to bind themselves together, and give their members notice that they intended to be better represented in the Assembly in the future. [Cheers. j—Mr Miln desired to point out that there was another aspect of the case which should be put, and that was with reference to the propel!y tax. The farmers of Canterbury, it would be found, not only paid heavily for the railways, but paid also a very much larger proportion of the property tax than any other part of New Zealand.—On the motion of Mr Gammack, a special vote of thanks was pass* d to the chairman, and the meeting adjourned till Saturday next, at 2 p.m.