RAILWAY ANOMALIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 771, 18 September 1929, Page 10

RAILWAY ANOMALIES

FREIGHTS TO MORRINSVILLE CHEAPER TO TE AROHA Prom Our Own Correspondent | MORRINSVILLE, Tuesday. j Disappointment lias been expressed j in Morrinsville that the town has not j participated in the reduced railway j rates that came into operation on ! Saturday. The freight rate to Morrinsville is higher than that to Te Aroha.—some miles further away—while the new 1 rate to Hamilton brings the total freight from Auckland to Hamilton to two shillings a ton less than the present Morrinsville figure. The rates are as follow, the scale taken being “A” goods: Auckland to Hamilton, 45s a ton (free delivery to business area): Auckland to Morrinsville, 47s 7d a ton (no delivery); Auckland to Te Aroha, . 35s Sd a ton (no delivery). The rates „for consigned goods are as follow: Auckland to Hamilton, per cwt, 2s 3d, 561 bls 6d, 2Slb ls 6d: Auckland to ’ Morrinsville, a cwt, 5s 2d, 561 bSs 6d, - 2Sib 2s Gd; Auckland to Te Aroha, a ' cwt 3s 9d, 561 b 2s sd, 281 b Is od. These figures are sufficient to demonstrate that Morrinsville has just cause for complaint. The question ■ has been asked why freight from Te Aroha, 13 miles from Morrinsville, 1 should be 12s 7d less than to Morrinsville; also why Hamilton, 20 miles away, is only 2s 7d less than Morrinsville. Morrinsville is in a sense unlucky, as both these stations have wliat is known as local rates. The low rate to Te Aroha is to enable the railway to compete with water carriage via the Wailiou River and the new Hamilton rate is to compete with motor traffic. The proper rate to Morrinsville on a mileage basis of 103, is 70s. Goods to Morrinsville are charged as to Te Aroha, that is, 355, and are also charged the price of bringing them back, 12s 7d. This is only a paper transaction as the goods are dropped at Morrinsville.