THE GRAIN TARIFF.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1270, 27 November 1884, Page 2

THE GRAIN TARIFF.

The people of Christchurch turned the Alkinson Ministry out of office and left, no stone unturned to malign and vilify Mr Rolleston on account of the grain tariff, They thought that by doing this they would get the grain tariff again reduced, but, no doubt to their great disappoiutmext, they find now that this is not so easy to do. Last Tuesday a deputation of the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce waited on the Hon. the Minister for Public Works to urge the necessity of lowering the grain tariff before the harvest set in, but the answer they got was not very reassuring. They urged the claims of the farmers to a reduction in the grain tariff in a manner that was almost humiliating. They said the farmers were “ sick unto death ” owing to the low price of grain, and suggested to increase of the passenger’s fares, and thus make tiie railways pay. Notwithstanding their urgent appeals, however, Mr Richardson held out very little hopes to them. He said the Government came in with a revenue calculated on the present rates, and if the rates were reduced in such a way the railway revenue would be seriously affected. It would have the effect of altering the financial position of the colony. There were many railways now which absolutely did not pay. If the rates were reduced there the same arguments would apply elsewhere with equal force. Mr Richardson, however, was not as hard as adamant. He thawed down considerably when he was told that the fanners were “ sick unto death,” and he told them that the Government were prepared to come down next session with a complete scheme for a Railway Board. The whole matter would then bear a different phase, and be looked at from a different point of view altogether. This is asking for bread and getting a stone. They asked for a reduction in the grain tariff, and they were promised nonpolitical management of railways. It is time the people of Christchurch opened their eyes to the realities of the situation. They in the first place forced the Aikinson Government to reduce the rates too much, and when absolute necessity forced tin Atkinson Ministry to raise the rates again they turned them out of office and put in their place Sir Julius Yogel and his followers, from whom they exacted the pledge of constructing the West Coast Railway. The policy Sir Julius Yogel has inaugurated renders the reduction of the railway tariff impossible. The reason high rates have to be exacted now is because the railways are too large for the amount of traffic on them, and it stands to reason that if more unprofitable railways are constructed the rates cannot be lowered unless the deficit is paid out of taxation. Sir Julius Yogel’s policy is to make the West Coast Railway and take over the District Railways. Now, if high rati s have to he exacted at present, what hope of a reduction can we entertain when this policy is carried out and our line of railways here has to bear the losses made on these political jobs ? The thing is morally impossible, and the sooner the people realise that Sir Julius Vogel’s policy will only in crease their liabilities in all directions the better. Mr Richardson may give us non-political Boards, but that will not reduce the grain tariff Nonpolitical Hoards must pay interest on borrowed capital, the cost of working the lines, and so forth, and it is very doubtful whether they can do it more economically than at present. The people of Christchurch have themselves to blame for these matters to a great extent, and a day will come when they will see the error of their ways.