FREIGHT ON BUTTER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 339, 28 September 1932, Page 3

FREIGHT ON BUTTER

RAILWAY CHARGES CONSIDERED TO BE UNREASONABLY HIGH. REDUCTION WANTED. A cut of 50 per cent. in railway freights on butter and cheese sent from factory to grading store is being asked for by the Dairy Produce Board, which has asked the Railways Board to revert to th'e Schedule rates of 1917 in view of the drop in other prices. This , announcement was made by Mr. C. L. Luke, a member of the Dairy Produce Board, at the Morrinsville meeting amid a chorus of approval from the directors of dairy companies present. "We all know that it is one of the finest freights that the Railway Dspartment has," said Mr. Luke. As an example of how dairy companies were affected, Mr. Luke mentioned that the freight per ton of butter for a distance of 104 miles had increased from 14s 6d in 1913 to 15s lld in 1915, to 17s 6d in 1917, to 37s ld at present. That was the schedule rate for the distance, although companies had been ahle to secure a reduction of a few shillings by making contracts. The present schedule rate was 100 per cent. more than in 1917 and 150 per cent. more than in 1913. "We discussed this at our last meeting and we considered it would be a fair thing to ask for the 1917 rate — 17s 6d for 100 miles — to be introduced. . Mr. Dynes Fulton explained that if the Railways Board did not agree to the reduction of 50 per cent, asked for, then the Dairy Board would send a deputation to meet the Railway Board.