DOMINION'S RAILWAYS.

Otaki Mail, 22 August 1923, Page 3

DOMINION'S RAILWAYS.

MANY CONCESSIONS MADE. • • JlautUoiiit* concession!* a»e,'' rani flit* .Minister of Railways, when delivtuiiiM tin- Railways bMatenient in the liuurc of Representatives, 4 * j •;iciK'd in lho mattt*r of fare* to en- j courage people to live* in the suburb: s , i X\ the present rates workers * weekly/ amt weekly twelve-trip tickets anil | season tickets are uiiremuneivitivo. | ivliilc the concessions to school child- I ren results in an annual loss to the j Ponartmeat oi: some £-0.000. In this | latter connection it is noted that in some districts where train-loads of children are daily conveyed to school at concession rates parents travel by .motor-bus. Many concessions may be quoted in the parcels and goods branch. For instance, tin* charges on y.-w Zealam.i-grown I resit fruit are i obviously below a reasonably remunera- | live rale*. Half a hundredweight of j fruit may be carried any distance for | ,s-i. Lime for farm lands is conveyed j for distances up to .lull miles free ol » charge: empty fruit cases, made from] _\Yu Zealand timber. under certain ! conditions are carried free for dis- | tunccs up to lob miles, and a similar j concession applies to timber consigned i fur the purpose of making fruit cases. } Native brown coal is also carried at an ! extremely low rate. Native timbers* are ratried at one-third less limn the : rate charged for imported limbers. ! Returned empty butter boxes, cheese, ! egg. fresh meat, fruit, mu. and veget- j :d»h* packages are carried free, and i others at very low rates. Mock, na- j _ phiiients, dogs, horses, cattle, produce,' etc., consigned to shows, horse par- J aue.-., dog trials, etc., are ret union j free of charge. Many commodities of j New Zealand manufacture are granted preferential rates on the railways in J order to protect ami .1 osier the in- j _ tlu.-lries of the Dominion. Another important phase of the * department's operations is its policy of Purchasing its retpii rein eats in the l .Dominion wherever possible. During j 1 tin* veal- under review. was expended in purchasing stores and (.* her material. of which amount £L24.’i.4. 77 was circulated in the Dominion. Generally speaking, a very large proportion of the total expeiidi- * t wit- of the department in wages, stores, etc., is circulated within .New Zealand."