RAILWAY CHANGES

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1930, Page 6

RAILWAY CHANGES

WAIKATO criticism:.

OF MR STERLING’S ALTERATIONS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

HAMILTON. February 23

-Perturbation is felt by traders doing business in a variety of lines requiring road or rail carriage, over Mi Sterling’s declared change of policy regarding railway I rieghts. Air A\ altei Seavill, (the Chairman of the banners’ Auctioneering Coy.) which lu' s large ramifications throughout South Auckland, says that what Mr Steilmg advocates is not equitable, uothuitlistaiuliug his assertions to the contiaii in that the policy he is adopting is frankly (vide his second paragraph) one of ''robbing Peter to pay laid. -Neither is it good business if the Govvernment engages in commercial pursuits basis, and not take advantage of its unique position to “ride roughshod” over private enterprise. He asserts that if the railways are rendering good national service by carrying manure, etc., at below Cost, and lie thinks .that they are, 'the Department concerned should be recompensed bv the Departments of Land and' Agriculture. He says:—“l believe that this is being done up .to a certain amount; and this principle might'be given further effect to. • Tin's would be equitable, and would he an example of the Government's ability to take a long-sighted view- oh the matter. To try and make up..leeway lost on the' transport of one class ol goods by taking advantage of their position by extracting it from the pockets oi those who are affected by rates ruling on other classes, is obviously unfair on the part of the Department. Freights have to be reflected in the retail price charged. and what hope would certain companies have bf successfully conducting that part of tlrefr business coining, under the classifications “A,” and “B” or “C” with the firms dealing in these goods only and who were carrying them h.v lorries at a cheaper rate than the railways will do the work. They can consequently snap their fingers at the Railway Department, seeing that the Department has no way of successfully retaliating, but penalising them on the goods" classified under “D.” ”