Penalised Farmers.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 January 1914, Page 4

Penalised Farmers.

» I IPER PRESS ASSOCIATION. 7 Ckristcliureh January 2H. The question of inter-coastal freights and their effect upon the South Island, and especially the Canterbury farmer, was the subject of a letter from Mr (i. \V. Leadley, which was read at today's meeting- of the executive of the North Canterbury Farmers' l.'uion). "This year (as in the past) we are likely to be shut out of our own markets in the north b}' the excessive charges made by the Union Company for transporting our produce, as they apparently discriminate against New Zealand produce in favour of Australian. This should not be. The Union Company have not shown themselves in any sense friends of the farmers of New Zealand, although farmers came to their help in the recent trouble, and I think they should be asked ' by resolution of your executive whether there are "any good and sufficient reasons why the freight on farm produce from southern New Zealand ports to Auckland and way ports should be higher than Australian stuff to the same points. It is an. . absolute fact that it is so, and it simply means that we are driven out of our own market by our locaJ company. If the executive do not care to approach the company by resolution I would suggest that a committee bo appointed to go into the whole question of freights and charges on "the transport of farm produce. This is a very important matter for local producers, as we have to find an outside market for th egreater part of our products, and if we are to be blocked by excessive rates for carriage, etc., we are placed at a very great disadvantage." The president (Mr C. H. Elisor) said that the matter was one that required to be approached very carefully, and the executive would need to be very sure of its facts before taking the action suggested. He moved that the letter be referred to the commercial committee lo report upon, and this was agreed to.