THE Pukekohe & Waiuku Times. PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1916 INCREASED FREIGHTS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 145, 14 February 1916, Page 2

THE Pukekohe & Waiuku Times.

PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1916 INCREASED FREIGHTS.

The Official Organ of . The Franklin County Council. TLlo l'ukekche Borough Council. L'ho Tuakau Town Board. The Karaka Road Board. The Pokouo Road Board. Tiio Wairoa Road Board. TLio Papakura Towu Board. The Waikato River Board. The Mercer Town Board.

"IFe nothing extenuate, nor set dov:n auoht in malice,

Tiie understanding arrived at by the various shipping companies trading with the Dominion to substantially mcreaße freights between Great liri tain and New Z'icland will again call attention to the lact that the proriucsrs of the country arc to a very large extent at th 3 mercy of the carrying companies, which are in a position to impose taxes upon them which are certainly more burdensome than are those imposed by the Paihament of the country. Aa far as Parliamentary taxes are concerned, the people at any rate have tha satisfaction of knowing that such imposts have been levied at the express wish of the people cf the country, through their repre" sedatives in the House. There was a time when there was keen rivalry between the various companies trading with the Dominion, with resulting cheap freights. The companies soon discovered that such competition resulted in heavy losses, and ro a mutual understanding was arrived at, und:r which freight? end rates were increased ar.d sires then there have been many revisions of rates, every time to the disadvantage of the producer. Twenty or thirty yours sgo, with less freight olfericg and the number of passenger much smaller than it is to-day, rates were markedly lower than they are now. It is no wonder that the people of the cjuntry are to ask where are the guardians of tie public interests—the Government—when nothing is done to checkmate the rapacity of the carrying companies. ll 13 felt that the time baa coin! whea there should le Bet up a body possessing powe-s and functions something similar to those of the board of Trade in the Motherland, which would te able to EC that something appertaining to justice was done to the people. In a colony like New Zealand, where prosperity depends to a very large extent on our oversea trade, it is essential that freights should ba on a3 low a basis ss commensurate with sound business on tha part of the carrying companies, and the Government should certainly see

thai th" pp.iplo of the country arc

n>l exploit.' I. Of I'lur,'', it is ad milt" I on ;ilI liar.ds that shipping companies at the presei-t juncturi' are incurring something iron- than

normal riska on account of tit

elusive Bubma'icej, which feeni to steal into every sea. but the British Navy has already performed marvels in trapping tbe?e craft and putting them out of action, reducing the risk of merchantmen to an extent which must rause won.ierment in all parts rf tLe woild. bearing this i'i niinr*, bearing in niiad that the seas a - c being kept o r cn aid comparatively immune from danger by the Brit sh Fleets, which are supported by the general taxpayer it behoves those in power tD see that the merchant fleets are not permitted t"> piej upon the public. No doubt when the war ia brought to a glorious conclusion the whole question will come up for consideration, and in the meantime those responsible for the running ol' the merchant service would be considering their own interests by not exasperating the public by continually raising freights and otber charoej