TIMBER FREIGHTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1925, Page 3

TIMBER FREIGHTS.

CUSTOAIS DUTY URGED

WELLINGTON. Aug. 3.

The grievance of inland local bodies, that they are unduly penalised by the discriminating rate charged on Uie railways against imported timbers was again' ventilated at the Dominion Farmers’ Conference yesterday, as the result of the follow ing remit:—“That the railway tariff should not he used for protective purposes, and this conference urges the Minister for Railways to embody this principle in the revised railway schedule.--(Auck-land).” Air C. C. Miinro (Auckland), m moving the adoption of the remit, said that the grievance was that the body furthest away from the port paid most. If it was desired to give protection to New Zealand timbers, it should bo done through the customs and not by means of the railways. Air Rudie said that it was an oldestablished principle of the Government to give assistance to local industries. At the present time a considerable amount of .Swedish timber was coming into New Zealand, and it was for the farmers to ileciilo whethei tnc\ were to use this timber produced by foreigners or use their own white pine, lie used this only as an m-

stance. , ■ A voice: There is not enough white pine in the country. 51 r Hodie: AYe have gone into the matter carefully, and liud that there is enough for all present needs m the country. . Another voice; That s right; we me exporting it to Australia. , Continuing, Mr Rodic stated that the matter was a principle "ith hc h.Tiartinent. He could assure the conference further, that any aHeratusn in the tariff would lx* towaids a up rather than a levelling down Mr AV. Morrison (Wanganui) s.iul that this argument might he all rig ' * for white pine, but in the case o hmd- * wood, which was not producei n V» Zealand, it was wrong that the h.u keouutry counties should pay nioic f< their bridge stringers than the -e. Ixiaid one. T>nxfie^( i (Auckland) said that Mr Rodin's argument was totally fallacious, as only a section ot Ur community bore the cost ot the trcigi. If it could he spread over the wl oh eommunity as hyjl customs duty, then it woulil be il better thing. . , Air 0. P. Lynch (Afaiiawatu) said that a great many of the local bodies found it cheaper to brine L.cir haidwood by lorry instead of rail. « . m count of the high freights. Oregon nine was also a fine timber loi jins - for buildings, and it was hard that the back-country people should penalised by having to pay the extra high tariff on the railways. The remit was carried ummimoush.