OUR RAILWAY TARIFF. REDUCTIONS AND ALTERATIONS'

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 376, 12 June 1889, Page 5

OUR RAILWAY TARIFF. REDUCTIONS AND ALTERATIONS'

The Government "Gazette'" for the 30th of May, containing the full text of all alterations and reductions made in our railway tariff, is now to hand. Many ot these alterations have been in force for as long as eighteen months having been gazetted in the usual way, but ( they are now published in extenso for the first time. We have noticed the alterations as they have come into torce from time to time, but a few general explanations of the alteration!) will now be apropos Mr Hudson, the local manager for the department, was waited on by a representative of this journal, and willingly supplied all information wanted. He first of all explained what we have stated about the majority of the alterations having been in forco for some considerable time, and mentioned that many had been made under the new regime, of the Commissioners. "The alterations," said Mr Hudson, " include reductions in the grain race tor 70 mile?, and it includes a concession in the matter of firewood. In the latter cabe, you are allowed to send six tons at the same price as you would five. The grain tariff reduces the minimum quantity to one and a-half tons, and also an alteiation in the method for charging for les=er quantities, which is very faxourable to the producer. The question ot the size of bags, which has &o greatly agitated tho Auckland people, is satisfactorily settled. For bags containing over 240 pounds, the amount taken as a rate, one and one-eighth of a late i> charged instead of one and onehalf. A new scale has been provided tor small lots ot native produce. This scale has been specially brought into operation to meet the often-expressed wishes ot the fcmall settlers to be enabled to bring small quantities of produce to market cheaply. For instance, now they can send fruit liom Helensville to Auckland very cheaply : 56 pounds only costs Is Id, 84 pounds Is '2d, and 112, Is 3d, and other articles of native pioduce are arranged for in propoition, and for longer distances in propoition als.o. The list included in this class is, as you can s c, a very long one; it includes poultry, butter, eggs, honey, beeswax, game, dead rabbios, cheese, fi&h, fresh or cured bacon or hams, meat, biead, seeds, vegetables, plants, and shrubs, of lewt and under. The suburban tares of Auckland have been levised and reduced. We are now taking people to Newmarket and back for fisenence, and tho Ellerslie and Green lane fares have been reduced also. There has been a general rev ision of the suburban fares, all in the direction of reduction, though I do not mean to say that every suburban fare has been reduced. You v\iil find in the 'Gazette' a local rate forgrain between Auckland and Gnehuncja, including cartage at Auckland, the charge from Onehunga to Auckland is 4s 6d per ton. The local rates which are in existence between Auckland and stations 10 miles out have been made applicable to Newmarket also, clearing away a grievance that has been in existence a long while. A special rate on pig iron from Auckland to Onehunga of 3s a ton has been made, with a view, of course, of encouraging: the ironworks there. There has been a new tariff for merchandise between Auckland and Newmarket, and stations on the Te Aroha branch line. Another new rate is one to Auckland for preserved fish from the manufactories up the Kaipara for tinned mullet and those things. Tha*/ is really the bulk of the alterations Of course there are numerous othei smaller matters such as classification of goods and little matters of local rates, as on timber to Te Aroha, lates introduced for a special purpose and of no interest to the general public. There are two or three matters that you might take notice of that I will show you in the ' Gazette.' " Mr Hudson then went over the sections in the "Gazette," pointing out the vaiious points. The ones to which he particularly drew attention were those referrin to freo school tickets, tickets for leligiou and friondly societies, athletic teams, and also to the provision for reserved carriages. The Cocimisaioners do not undertake to supply reserved cairiagesoi compartments, but in such cases as carriages or compaitments are reserved for invalids or specially authorised parties, the charge will be not less than as for four first-class ordinary fares. Football, cricket, tennis, and bowling teams of not less than twelve members are well provided for. When they give three clays' notice to the disttict manager they will be supplied with second-class Saturday leturn tickets available for first-class carriages, and good for a week from the date of issue. On proper application being marie Saturday return tickets available for a month will be issued to delegates of religious bodies and friendly societies, to enable them to attend yearly or half-yearly meetings, it being shown that the holder has been selected to attend such meeting. Children living away from any Government school, or where there is none in the vicinity of the station, are allowed to have free school tickets to the nearest station to a public school. These are second class quarterly tickets for children not over 15 years of age, and only available to children attending schools for primary education. The ordinary season school tickets! are very reasonable indeed, as a child under 16 years of age can travel up to 55 mile 3 to attend school at 10s a quarter. Certain reductions that have at various times been granted to different classes of goods on representations made have been made cancelled. This is on account of the old tariff having practically fallen into disuse, the representation made not having been fulfilled.

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