RAILWAY CHARGES

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1924, Page 4

RAILWAY CHARGES

A WESTLAND AXO-MALY. A PROHIBITIVE RATE. (Lyttelton Times). The high rales n r present being FfstU'ged for goods for" an led bv rail Coast to .u'sHoltol) were brought under the notice of the T'ottNway Department, yesterday. The case in question seems a glaring one, especially as :■ is connected wit it a growing local industry on the Coast. WHITEBAIT INDUSTRY AFFECTED.

Last week a consignment of 150 cases of tinned whitebait was forwardid from Hokitika to Greymouth and from Greymouth to Lyttelton. The total weight of the eases amounted to 5 tons 11 cut. 2qts.. and the charge made by the Railway Department was as followsßailage Hokitika, to Lyttelton £25 15s 7tl; tunnel charge £*l ds 2d; wharfage and hauling S'A 15s 2d; total freight on the 150 cases, £3l 14s lid. Compared with the freight rate by rail from Hokitika to Greymouth ant! thence by steamer from Greymouth to Lyttelton, which is £2 2s ltd per ton. ihe cost by rail to Lytteltun is prohibitive. The cases have yet to he forwarded to Mi Ibinirno at it ■•:-*! of 35, per ton.

I: appear- that, the iish was carried l>y (Ik- railways under a certain class which makes it the highest possihhrate en tile schedule. Had the tisli I,con sent Iro'ii it is. as'-erlcd that the freight, including a special van. would have only keen approximately £Hh Xo explanation is given for the high freight charges which are certainly very discouraging to a local industry. 15 A 11,AV AVS KXI’I.AXATIOX. ••('nder our classification, tinned tisii is in Class A, which is the highest merchandise rate,’’ said Mr D- PMiteludl, district traßie manager, when he was asked io state the Department's position. "( sunlly. we that t carry stteh hig lots ol tinned lisli at a time, hut the charge on litis consignment, on our tariil', is ijiiite right. Tinned lisli is a local industry, but tm concession in freight is given on tin lied lisli.

NO I N(,)C iI! IKS MADE. • ( lion*t think I.l l nt they made inv inquiries ns In what I In' charjre void I lii‘ until tlm coeds arrived at l.uti'i I on, - ’ Mr Mitchell added. "I I t hi-y lioti ini|itii’Ofl ol I lokit ikn they would hove heel) told the correct ■•lkiivc. If they represented tin* ease. os 1 informed them. 1 would pi,'lei' it liefor° til)' (tenoral Mutineer. Isut I have heard nolhitio- more. Tlie only n'dtu lion in the fiviqht that could hi' uiiide would he a tew .shillings. This is the Tiist hi-j; lot that litis heeii carried, and the Hokitika to (drey month lots ntitchl not have Vieen sn lit'.;. The freight charge also had the inn-ease in tunnel rates and haulin'; to the ship's side.’ - THE SHOE PI NCH If -•It is satisfactory to note,’' said Mr \V. Hottroll. a tuomher of the Hallway Committee of the Cniiferhttry Chamber of ('ointneree, "that the httstnoss section of the West Coast h.ave so quick ly milised the nt'rqSsily lor till imini'ilitile revision of the tailway li.tl11c nites. The proposals set out liy lie recent committee appoinied hy the Chntnher of Conimeroo to <;n lhorout;hly into this question have heeti severely criticised hy our West land friend', hut directly they find the existing rales 1o their disadvantage they heein in '<■<> eve (o eve with us over hero."