BACK LOADING TO COAST

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1929, Page 4

BACK LOADING TO COAST

' HldfH - RAILWAY' FREIGHTS’. /.-•V REDUCTIONS TO BE SOUGHT. CHRISTCHURCH, September 26. . After discussing the question of railr way freights to the West Coast, a matter which was the subject of contro-. versy about four years ago, the executive of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association decided last evening that Mr H. Bradlby (president), the vice: president, and Air E. H. Marriner (organiser)' should interview 'Mr D. Rodie, commercial manager of the Railway Department, on his arrival from Dunedin this evening, and lay before , him a complaint received in reference to the charges made. Mr Marriner read the following letter from Air P. H. Venables, a member of the Association : . ' : : “ Further to our conversation, I am enclosing a copy of a letter received from the secretary of the Canterbury. Chamber of Commerce. This is in relation to the freight charges on heavy 1 goods forwarded per rail, from . Christchurch to the West Coast. Owing to West Coast firms being able to ; rail their goods to Canterbury,at,a freight ( comeptitive with; the steamey, Lyttek ; ton is not able to furnish steamer freight for ,„ my goods to.,Gr.eymouth with any degree of regularity, and the Railway Department, charging .50 per cent higher, kills the business. Some of my customers are advising me that owing to this position, they are considering placing their orders in ' Wellingr ton. 1 think that, in the event of :an , extended investigation, which I believe, . will take' place, the Manufacturers 1 ’ Association, might ,take some part.”... > t The letter from the Chamber of Com- , merce stated that Mr H. H. Sterling,General Alanager of the Railways, had promised to send Air Rodie. to Christ- . church to look into the matter. “.You will see tint the Department is anxious, to ascertain the facts of the . case .; at • first-hand,” the letter stated. , Air Bradley • said at present v the •trucks used for.-bringing, coal and tim-.V bel* from the coast travelled back practically empty. The Department should consider the institution of fi cheap’-': back-loading freight so that’Hhey could be utilised. ;•‘V; t. ' v , k Air F. W. J. Belton: They . will do nothing of the sort. . He related an exr perienee of own in railing goods to'the Coast. •• : ' ! . Mr I. Woolf said a proposal such as that made by Mr Bradley liad been made previously, and had been -well. , supported, but opposition Had come * ' from the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce, members of which had feared increased competition. •' ' 1 All* Marriner. said Air F. Pawson; Business'" Agent ' for the Railway Department in Christchurch, was, at prp-. sent dni'tKe West :f Coast investigating; '[ the question. The tion was also moving.'' ."’’t ?•" Mr C. H. Burson said they sould; bp. well advised to seek the co-operati'On of the Chamber of Commerce in- anything they did. ' ■v-.i. Mr Bradley said he had learned from an experience of his own that the railway freight,,from Christchurch to Hokitika was now twice the steamer and railway charges from Wellington : to v-‘J Hokitika. : >V; It was agree’d to approach the Chamber of Commerce on the matter, and to ;■ meet Mr Rodie this evening. .