FARM PRODUCE AND THE RAILWAY.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 406, 7 March 1899, Page 4

FARM PRODUCE AND THE RAILWAY.

A NOTABLE feature of the times, and particularly observable on well-managed farms, is the growing tendency to place more vveicht upon and devote more attention to the production and marketing of what has hitherto been regarded as the small goods of farming, such as poultry, eggs, butter, fruit, pigs, pork, etc"and the steady increase of weekly consignments by rail of such produce from Waikato to the Auckland markets, shows that our farmers are up-to-date, and are realizing the profits derivable from this side of their business. It may also be added that the presence in \\ mkato of the railway, with its daily trams to town, enables our producers to avail themselves of the demand created by the large and rapidly increasing population in Auckland city and suburbs. But to obtain the fullest advantage of this trade, and develop it, as it iB capable of being developed, lies very largely with the railway authorities, and is based on the one word freight, and if this is not arranged on such a scale as will place our Waikato growers upon even, or fairly even, terms with those in other districts, against whom they have to compete, it is manifestly impossible for them to enter largely into the business, or that it can be developed as could be wished. This is particularly the case when produce is cheap and competition keen in its disposal, as we have witnessed during the last few months. As an instance, but for the specially-arranged railway tariff for the carriage of fruit, thousands oi cases from Waikato, which have been aold in the Auckland markets at miserably low prices, but have still left a small margin for the grower, could never have been sent over the line at all, ana must have remained in the orchards to rot. This shows what a low railway tariff can do in developing business in one particular line of produce, and there is a wide field for the extension of this principle to many of the other commodities above enumerated. The parcel and small goods branch is always a profitable one to carriers, including the railways, but to develop it there mUBt be a disposition shown to encourage the producer even though he is in only a small way and induce him to use the railway as frequently and as much as possible. Fortunately our District Railway Manager (Mr Grant) is fully alive to the importance of encouraging the country settlers to send their produce in large or small lots over the line, and he is doing his utmost to bring the rates on small consignments of produce down to the lowest paying point. It is clearly the interest of his department to do so, as with the Waikato soconveniently situated a moderately liberal tariff would lead to an immense development of business in which the Eailway Department and the country settlers would mutually benefit.