INCREASE IN RAILWAY FREIGHTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1921, Page 5

INCREASE IN RAILWAY FREIGHTS.

DAIRY COMPANIES PENALISED. (From Our Special Reporter.) o Palmerston N., June 23. Mention was made at the annual conference of the National Dairy Association that dairy produce had been treated very hardly by the Railway Department in its recent revision of railway freights. At Wednesday’s meeting Mr. Bassett moved, on behalf of the North Auckland Dairy Conference: “That the Minister of Agriculture be requested to look into the great increase in the railway charge for carriage of butter on the railways, this charge having, in the opinion of. this conference, been increased to an unwarranted extent, as compared with the increase in other goods, and that the executive of the North Dairy Association take this matter in hand.” This, he said, was a matter that affected every company whose produce was carted over the railways. He understood that the increase in dairy produce was 103 per cent., against an average increase of 44 per cent, in general trading lines, and he considered they should protest against this. Mr. Hausen (Awahuri) seconded. Mr. Marx asked whether the apparent large increase was not due to the cheap* er rate at which dairy produce had been carried in the past having been equalled up. Mr. Bassett pointed out that dairy producers were the only ones who did their own loading and unloading on the railway trucks.

Mr. Brechin pointed out that previously dairy produce was on a lower basis of freights than other classes of produce and possibly now the department were only placing them on a parity, deeming it no longer necessary to spoon feed the industry.

Mr. Moss pointed out that the dairy farmer in the country was penalised They were in the hands of the Railway Department and the shipping people For instance, timber was scarce in the back country now a.nd they had to pay extra freight on the hardwood timber they used. There was a protection of 30, 40 or 50 per cent on most of the lines they wished to use, but when the industry asked for a small concession to enable them to sell their produce at market value there was a protest. Dairy farmers should insist on fair treatment. They only wanted their dues, and were not asking for something as beggars. The resolution was carried