AN INTOLERABLE POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1918, Page 3

AN INTOLERABLE POSITION.

To the Editor. Sir, —The visit of the Minister for Railways should be taken full advantage of to press upon him the necessity for more e.vpeditious handling of goods and a reduction of railway charges. The charge of 5s per ton wharfage and railage at New Plymouth apart altogeth'/' from the increase since the war, should be vigorously fought. I have Seen repeatodlv told that it is no use making representation, a3 nothing will bo done, because it has already been put before them. Of course, such an attitude will gain nothing. So long as that attitude is taken up nothing will be done. It is only by persistently demanding that the injustice should he removed tint the object will be attained. The Chamber of Commerce, T take it, claims to repr<r,ent the trading community and, instead of vigorously pursing this injustice until it is removed, in content on the occasion of the visit of the Minister to make representation to speed up one train, and they do not propose to ask it with the hope that their request will he acceded to, as the opinion was expressed that this concession might be granted after the war —truly a vigorous body! It is well known that .it is the policy of the Railway Department to meet every request from the public for any alteration of their methods with hostility. The convenience of the public is a secondary consideration, and unless pressure, political or otherwise, is brought to bear nothing is done. Take the occasion of the last visit of the general manager of the railways. iVhen the chairman of the Chamoer asked ilim to meet a deputation over this same train, he was practically met with a refusal, .u any case, no deputation waited on him. Hawera did not ask his leave. They waited on him with a request, and pressed it so vigorously that they succeeded in securing a promise to remedy the grievance. As an expniule of what nersistc-nce and numbers will do, one needs only to refer to the attitude of the dairy companies over the butter fat levy. Notwithstanding refusals, their persistence was rewarded. Had they becli content to accent the refusals in the same way that New Plymouth has accepted the Railway Department's attitude, they would still be paying the butter levy, and if those same dairy companies were paying 3s per ton for railing their produce some two miles, thern would be somethins; doing, and that soon. I doubt if the general public are fnllv aware of the conditions prevailing, that notwithstanding that the district has spent large sum of money in building a breakwater and wharf, ihe railway own the land abutting on the wlnrf, and everybody who visits the wharf is trespaMni on railway property. Thev control all traffic, and no goods can be removed from the wlmrf without paying railway charges to New Plymouth. 1'" the railway had constructed the wharf the position would, of course, be different, but the district having built the wharf should have the free use of their own property. Tt is an intolerable position, and should not be put up with any loiv er. Yet this town that hopes to grow into a eitv with direct shipping is content to rut up with a gross injustice of ibis hind. Every opportunity should be taken to vigorously press for its removal. Yet the Chamber of Commerce is eontent to humblv ask for the speeding up of a train! Truly a progressive body to allow the town whose interests it is supposed to guard and advance to be made a door-mat of.—l am. etc.. CIYTS.