Manawata Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1883. RAILWAY FREIGHT ON TIMBER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1709, 15 May 1886, Page 2

Manawata Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1883 . RAILWAY FREIGHT ON TIMBER.

From the Waipawa Mail we take the following items re railway tariff : — What the sawmillers m the Bush say is very true. Why should not the freight on all kinds of timber sent away for export be reduced quite as much as that on white pine ? We shall have more to say on tbe matter very shortly, and we think we can prove conclusively that it would pay the Government to make a general reduction. There are many ways m which, railways are gainers by reduced tariff rates. For instance, if the freight i . on firewood were so lessened as to. make it possible for settlers m the Bush to supply Napier with fuel, then an immense trade would m all probability spring up. This would supply labor to numbers of working men, and a population would become settled inland, which would never reside there under different conditions. This population would require providing for, and the wants of the different families would be supplied by what ? By the railways. One of Ithje principal subjects of discussion at Wed- . nesday's meeting a* Danevirke was the reduction of freights on goods carried by railways. When the Settlers' Association is properly established, this will= be a wide field for them to work m. Wbat they should do is— not to abuse a single departmental officer, but to point out to the Government that a reduction of the tariff will lead to increased trade, and that an increased trade must lead to an increased revenue from the railways. This is a question for the Railway Department to answer : — Why do they charge 3s per 100 ft. for freight on timber between Leeston and Dunedin, a distance of from 150 to 180 miles, when the sawmillers of Hawke's Bay have to pay 3s for the freight of their timber from Danevirke to Napier — only 80 miles ?

A London correspondent writes to a southern exchange as follows:— I find very exaggerated ideas abroad here respeering the flew Zealand depression. Unhappily, the pessimist effusions of a portion of the New Zealand Press are taken too seriously. I have of ten., deprecated the amazing power of self depreciation which some prominent Now Zealandera have indulged m. Sir George Grey's wild invective acd gloomy prognostications are believed, on the strength of his position aiid antecedents, and not a few really infer from Ins utterances, and from pessimist letters m the newspapers, that the Colony is like a beggar on horseback. It is quite pitiable the immense mischief done; by. Colonial candid friends. Why do cot those who take such pleasure, ip magnifying the present depression, remember that, m 1870, things were far more gloomy. The history of the Colony ,and for that, the history of all Colonies and all States, has ever been one of tips and downs. It is not the spirit of patriotism to be everlastingly crying " Wolr, wolf !" The immediate ' effects of such pessimism is to hinder emigration New Zoalandwards. The farmers are afraid of jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire."

1 The rash to the new El Dorado m Western Australia is assuming propor* tions that promise to swell into something gigantic. From all parts come intelligence of steamers being laid on and rapidly filling with passengers bent on trying their fortunes on tho diggings. In >a jotter t« the X)tago Daily Time*, a resident at Derby, which is the nearest port, gives a fuw particulars of what is going on. " The field is 300 miles - front Derby, the journey is difficult and horses cannot be bad for love or tnouey. Gold is found at a depth of 18!n, and is over a very large scope of country. Thousands of people are expected to be there m six months. The country is not good for sheep, but splendid for cattle, There is no market, however, for cattle, and so cattle rearing is neglected. Sheep rearing is equally hazardous, for sheep sell at present for 15s ahead at Boeburne, some 400 miles from Derby, and to drive them 400 miles would likely increase their cash value to something like 30s per head. Then all the white men are leaving the station? for the diggings, soth&t sheep and shepherds are at the n^^^ofthe

is eminent m Western Australia which will throw that slow-going country into a state oE topsy-turvey-dom.

Nkw South Wales is one of the most important markets for New Zealand produce, as may bo judged from the following figures, published m a recent issue of tho Canterbury Press : — " In 1885 we exported to New South Wales 25,798 bushels of barley, 20,073 bushels of beans anH peas, 19,236 bushels of maize, 1,364,295 buhals of o&ts, 247,108 bushels of wheat, 1,029 tons of flour, 6,610 tons of bran and sharps, and 12,359 tons of potatoes." A motion was recently brought forward iv the New South Wales Parliament to impose a duty of 6d per bushel on grain and pulse of all kindß, 4d per bushel on barley and oats, 20s per ton on flour and meal, Id per bushel on bran and pollard, and 10s per tou oa potatoes. The motion was rejected by a majority of moie that two to one. the voting being : — For the motion, 22 ; and against it, 45. This is a big victory for freetrade, and one which is of especial advantage to New Zealand farmers. Evidently (writes the Napier Telegr-apK) the peopleof New South Walos are quite determined not to cut off their own noses to spite their own faces. '

The Dunedin Star says :— The Englifih Judges have decided that it is ultra vires, unreasonable and repugnant to the general laws of the land for civic authorities to attempt to limit by municipal legislation the natural privileges of the Queen's law-abiding subjects. The authorities of Croydon, like those of Napier, passed a by-law, aimed specially at the Salvationists, prohibiting tbem from using instrumental music m the streets on Sundays. Tha Salvationists defied the municipal authorities m both cases. Police Court proceedings resulted, aadthe offenders were convicted and fined. Tha Napier Salvationists' appeal is still uuder the consideration of Mr Justice Richmond, who will most probably tie guided by the dicta of Judges Hawkins and Matthews m the Groydon appeal. These Judges held that the bye-law was "most unreasonable and cruelly oppressive, and therefore could not be enforced." Salvationists and other bands can now play on Sundays to their heart*' content.