CANTERBURY PROGRESS LEAGUE.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1923, Page 1

CANTERBURY PROGRESS LEAGUE.

TKI.I'.I'IIONIC AND TI‘XNIf!. CM A I« (MAS. fitV TKI/KCRAI’II -rUII J'Kl.Sfi ASSOCIATION.] ( iiuisTciinu'ii. Ofioii.T i. Tin- new telephone charges were criticised lit a meeting of the Canterhiil V Progress League « lien it was pointed Dili that tile S'ecretary of the Department Inn! not supplied tlie LeneiieV Telephone ('ommitiee v.'itli the I'l'm n lefei a 1 1 min net* sheet ei the De-

part nil'll t a- promised. it -was decided to write to the l’c.sl-moster-(leneral. asking him to reply to tee League's. rop-oi'l of March otlt. nntl justify (he increas'd charges. Tlie freight charges on the Midland ILsilwav were also discit-sod by tlie

[‘repress League, pari iettlnr reference heine: nmde to the added cost of transport’ resulting from the Oiira Tunnel seetion being still under the control of the I’uhlic Works Department, thus preventing the levying of a ‘‘through” rate only.

Air W. (hiss stated tint the distance from Croynionth to (Hint was fifty one miles, and Aithur’s Pass to (diristehureh was eighty-seven . miles, being a total of ITS miles. This distance as limped for at the rate of 3s 7d per ton. jihis e.ne seventh or a total of !s Id. Ihe tunnel section comprised about; nine miles and the freight on timber on this section come in under (he minimum rate of 8(1. pins one seventh, and to that was added ot) ] el cent on all ponds handled by the I uhlic Works Popartment making a total from flreymouth to Chvistchurc-h of As lid. If the railway rates on the line were computed on tno same basis as mi other lines, the charge on the whole of the 1.18 miles from Creymouth to Christchurch would he 3s B<l pins one seventh, on a rate of Is 2d or only n penny increase on the Railways Dopartniont's present rntos for portions of tho lino om-klo the* tunnel soot ion. The same thing was happening with regard to coal. Other speakers pointed out numerous instances of -tiea.mt>r freight being cheaper titan rail.