RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1924, Page 1

RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

DIG RKDrCTfOXS J’ROKAIH.K. TO GKT MACK ROST TRAFFfC. WKRRINGTON, September ‘J.J. A hint that leduetions a])jiroxiiimtely L‘ Dl ill, < liM) per annum may he made in the railway rates as may eventually hrinp; such a volume of increased trallie as to eoiintorhaianee the loss involved in the reduel ions, is contained in the Railways Statement. The Minister reviews the position and stiites that matters tire now in train which will lead to an early decision in regard to the ttirilf. “In the vicinity of lai’"e towns,” the Minister states, “ motor vehicles are heino inereasinply patronised, and il is therefore desirable to make some adjustments in the suburban fares, Durinp; tlm war and post-war periods the passenger charges were increased by only do per cent, as compared ■vith 111 per emit in Hie ease of "oods, and. apart from considerations of competition. it does not appear that there is the same pres-iue; necessity for reductions of a j'ciieral nature in the ease of the passenper lares as in the ease of the ■'noils rates. “ la regard to the "oods trallie, tie position is that the total rjmmtity i.l poods ivipiired to he carried in New /.eahind has not very substantially increased durinp the last few years, and if Die Department is to obtain the increased tratlie wide!) will enable it to recoup itself for reductions in rates it must (iht.uin such trifllm from its iiiiiipetitors.

•‘Competition hv sea has always existed, anil there is no reason to believe that the proportion of poods carried hy sea as apaiast railway has increased verv much ot late years, h rum the reports received by the Department it cannot he found that the proportion of; sea-borne poods has increased in any particular locality, while, oli the contrary, it is found that the opeiiinp ol the Otira tunnel has diverted to the railway all hut n neplipihle ipiantily of the trallie between Canterbury and the West Coast Dial formerly went by sea. Still. I here loiaains a lair amount ol sea--1-,,1't!,. trallie, some of which mipld possibly he attracted to the railway, and hell lidplil. therelore. he taken into consideration when detailed proposals are heiap made aline; the lines ol inereasiup tell trallie to he carried by rail."

The Minister admits that the problem presents many dilfieulties. Tinconi pa rati vely tree use ol the roads which the motor carriers now enjoyed, am! the prealer mobility ol the motor vehicle fetiablinp llie poods to he transported from si art inp point to destina--11., without haiidlinp involved in railway were mlvanlapes which materially alfeeted the position i" Divoiir nf the motor. The first laetor was uni within the control of the railway authorities. The second could, in a -urn at least, prohahly he met hy I,ran...in;: for irnieut "I poods to and from the railways. This could he don,. |,y Die De|iart meiil ilsell un lerinkiie; ea ri ape t" and from the rnil„;,v, or I.V eiilerinp into sililahle - ti , v. it h road iam inp coin eras. The principal commodities at present l.oinp conveyed hy load are mineral oils Ill'll, ’.inifjete..) and household Inrniinre. Corlaiuly oilier classes "I |,| M , 1m ■ i I,; • earl ii'll, hill Ihe I „., , -os lin-lil ioni'd soeiui dto P"'I" 111.. I ,:i < -Is t•• m>. ol Dll' lli'ilor I'allii- D U; ,S also Dial the .an inp wool hy motor tended to increase. Inquiries' in various .uses where wool lunl I ii carried hv motor indicated Dml tlm farmers placed a peculiar vnl tie on the fact that the wool was lilted hv tile motor iron! the wool sle u. There was little doiihl, however, tha I :• i-i>illii-1 imi in the rates ol wool would fond to counteract this clfect and on that proiiml a lower rale was justified. "Without poilip into details. ’ the Minister continues, “the immediate extfiit to wliirh mtus will !.<• usvil lor th' 1 purpose lII' mi etinp motor competition will involve suilal.le rcdui-tions on heiizioe. hoiiselnld rciuijiak an ! the commodities that are listed in tlm hipher , hisses (A, R. (\ D. end II) of the railway tarilf. I propose to submit recoilin', "iid’.n ions to C 'ahin:-t alonp these lines within the next week or two Die reduelions in Ihe :..;prepate inp. in all l.m'nd.ility to t-’llit.-

’’There must eonee a time when loss ~f the more Incralivc terill will mal.e it impossible for the Department to ojve concessions, hut this is a point v.-hii-h does imi saetn to he stllke'.i'litly rei opiiised.

•Annihir matter whieh suggests dsidl ns lining worthy nl cull-iiieratmn lit eulinee! iutl with tin' larilf as alieeteil hv competition is as to w hether the under which rates are fixed is m.L ton rich!, ami ant as readily adapl;l),|e In eireiimstames as the necessities „f nieeiinc eomputili. n reipnre. At „ne extreme we have, as at present, the method uf fixing fates selely '•> e-e/etteil regulation. '1 lie nthcr ex-U-eme is I In" placing in the hands el'individual ollieers authority to fix cliurg,.s ji- occasion may arise. 1 he ipies,l,,;, i- hew far I'm' position call He eariied I'ruia the extreme where H now rests in the direction of allow.nc "f a ereatcr measure of elasticity in ralennikiim. '1 he .Minister might. ul course exercise Ids power of delegation as con-

taiitcd in the proviso to parapraph (viii) of section tell of tlm Government Act. 100t<. There are dillieolties in the way of an extended use ol this power, hut it appears to me that the urgency of the occasion calls for some action hoi up taken to place the Department, its a business concern, on a more advantageous position than it now holds. The question as to how this may ! >e effected, anil, in particular, as regards the matter of the extent to which the power contained in the proviso mentioned above might he used in this direction, is now under consideration.” Dealing with motor competition in regard to passenger trallie, the Minister states that the officers of the coinnv.'i’fial branch nl the Department took the matter in hand, and the steps taken to recover the business had been watched with very close attention, and similar measures taken in other localities where pood roads and the policial conditions had enabled the motors to seriously compel e.

RuheiT Louis Stevenson once declared, according t:> otic ol his hiopraphcls; “Xu woman should lnarrv a man who doesn't smoke,” .and Stevenson, it must he admitted knew human nature. Anoher famous man of letters, Rulweri.vtton, wrote (see his novel. “Wluit will lie do with it;-'”) “He vrho doth not smoke hath cither known no greater grief, or refuseth himself the silliest con-olalion next to that w’liich comes from heaven." As to the hat mfuluess of the habit. niueli—very much _ depends upon the tobacco. Mramls heavily charged with nicotine are best avoided. In that respect and in oilier respects our own New /calami grown tobaccos hold pride ol place, because they contain comparatively little nicotine and may therefore he indulged in ad. lib., wiiiotil affecting nerves or heart. Doubtless that is whv they are finding favour with su many smokers. They are on sale every where, and are minuted to all last“liiverhead Gold” is mild aromatic. “I ousted Navy Cut" (liulhlog) is a delightful medium, and “Cut Ring No HI" (Hull's Head label) a line In I l-lla vo n rei I tobacco.— Advt.