RAILWAY FREIGHTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1987, 7 June 1919, Page 3

RAILWAY FREIGHTS.

INCREASED TARIFF FORECASTED. Forthcoming revision ami increases in the railway tariff were forecasted by Mr R. W. M’Villy (General Manager of Railways) in his evidence before the Parliamentary Industries Committee this week. Mr ■ M’Villy said that live , years ago the Department wont exhaustively into the tariff, and came to the conclusion that, it badly required revision, which must result in increased freights. The Chairman (Mr C. A. Wilkinson, M.P.) : Is it proposed to bring in a revision' shortly? Witness: We have collected quite a lot of data ready for the purpose of making a complete revision, to bring the tariff ,up lo date. The war has held (his up. How long have (he present rates been in force? —Since 1897, probably before that. There have, however, been revisions in various classes, in some of which the freightage has been reduced. There must be alterations in classification, and increases on various commodities. The running costs have greatly increased since tariff was last fixed —wages have gone up, and prices have increased for everything we use. Witness said he considered the rate on butter was much too low, and the Department had contemplated raising it for quite a long time.