THE RAILWAY TARIFF

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2571, 4 July 1882, Page 3

THE RAILWAY TARIFF

* ] PUBLIC MEETING- AX SPBINGFIELD. 3 A meeting was held at the Springfield i schoolroom, on Saturday evening last, to dis- s cues tbe present high rate of railway tariff, 5 and to initiate steps to have the rates reduced, 0 if passible. Mr J. D. Enys was voted to the c chair. There were about sixty in the room. The Chairman read the advertisement con- I vening the meeting, and regretted that more t of the residents from other parts of the district wore not present. Ho read an apologetic 1 letter from Mr Jas. MoTlwraith, who stated he entirely sympathised with the objeot in £ view, but was unable to be present, and sug- i gested a rate of ono penny per ton per mile ( on minerals, and he thought that passengers' fares might also be fairly reduced. Mr \ Buys, in the oourse of his remarks, said he c was kept quite out of the market with the \ Castle Hill stone, which was of capital quality, t owing to the prevailing high rate of carriage. 8 Mr Moody said he had writtea to Mr Maxwell on the aubjoet, and had afterwards ' seen that gentleman, who informed him that , the matter was under the Minister's con- J sideration. He referred to the vastly oheoper 8 ratas for carriage of minerals on the New Pouth Wales and English railways ; on the latter thoy were carried at the rate of one c farthing per ton per mile. He complained of v the very small margin left for the producer \ after carriage and other expenses were paid. * He thought the Government ware standing i iu their own light, and preventing a much larger return from carriage of coal by the rate being so high. f ' Mr Casßidy said he thought Mr Mcllraith'a \ was a very fair proposal, and complained that j Canterbury had to pay 6 J per cant, on money j expended, and thought that if Government „ were approached with full information on 8 the subject, they would be obliged to meet 5, the producers half way. The matter had been j, tolerated too long, and would in any other j country have created suoh a movement as ; would have obliged the management to re- a duoe the tariff. He drew a very unfavorable comparison between the expenditure ia Tarannki end Canterbury in proportion to popula- , tion. He also thought that: tho whole of the j Canterbury members should be more ener- , golic on the question. Mr Cunningham said Mr Shanks und himself had applied for information from certain t gentlemen in Ohristohurob, bat had reooived no reply. He read a circular from the Corn I Exohange, whioh suggested that rates be s reduced about one-fourth, and stated that c carriers on the roads were competing success- 1 fully with the railways up to distances of twenty mileß from Ohristchurch. He said that t tho rates for merchandise very heavy 1 handicap on country storekeepers, and if rates t were materially reduced in all branches, he < thought it would lead to an immense increase < of businets on the lines. He pointed out that } all the late excursions to different parts of the i island had been a great success, whioh he 1 considered a strong argument in favor of a 1 large reduction in tbe parssnger fares. < Mr Condliffe said that the present high i rates were simply driving the nroduoers from 1 the country, and said the fira ol'.y in the j Malvern district was of such a fico quality that if the tariff allowed of the goods manufactured being sent to all parts of the colony, 1 they could defy all outside competition by ' selling at very low rates. Mr Bsnham pointed out, that owing to 1 timber rates being so high he could send it to Ohristchurch by road at less cost. He 1 reacl extracts showing rates for grain, &c, to be 250 per cent, higher ia New Zealand than 1 in Victoria. 1

Mr Rutherford informed the meeting of the difference in rates on certain goods, and advocated a general reduolion, more especially on grain, minerals, wool and other agricultural and pastoral produce. Mr McMillan, M.H.R., said that the rates in New Zealand for merchandise were sa low as in Victoria and England, but thought all other rato3 should be reduced. He objected to the remarks of Mr Cissidy, and said that members were moving in fcho matter. He h:id seen the Minister for Pablio Works on the subject, who told him that the late revision had cost the country a very conoiderable amount. He stated that the Government had promised to consider fcho question. Ho had attended a meeting of members at the Corn Exohange, and they had unanimously resolved to petition Parliament to reduce grain rates to the tariff proposed by the Corn Exchange, Ho was in favor 01 differential rates, personally, but said that since he had boen at Wellington ho found it would be impoaeiblo to get those rates imposed. Mr Caßsidy proposed tho following resolution—" That this meeting is of opinion that Id per ton per mile would be a fair rate of tariff on the Canterbury railways for coal, stone, clay, p.nd other minerals,"—Oarriod unanimously. Mr Smith proposed—" That a general revision and reduction cf tariff on the Canterbury railways is highly desirable, and necessary for the prosperity of this part of the colony."—Carried. Mr Cunningham proposed—" That a committee, consisting of Messrs Enys, Rutherford, Moody, Benham, Cassidy, Upton and Smith, be appointed to oommunioate with prominent citizens in the prinoipal centres of population in Canterbury, to endeavor to give effect to the views oxpressed by this ing."—Carried.Massra McMillan and Enys briefly acknowledged a vote of thanks, after which a moat * orderly meeting oame to a close,