RAILWAY HANDICAP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1941, Page 4

RAILWAY HANDICAP

FACTS AS I'o CURRENT RATES DIVERSION OF TRAFFIC. ON ACCOUNT OF HAULAGE COSTS. “It is only right that the public of Masterton should know the facts about freight charges from Wellington to Masterton,” observed Mr J. H. Cunningham, General Manager of the W.F.C.A., Ltd., in giving evidence at a sitting of the No. 2 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr P. Skoglund) in Masterton yesterday.

Mr Cunningham said that a general increase of ten per cent was imposed by the Railways Department, applicable throughout New Zealand, about two years ago. affecting all genera] merchandise. The rate from Wellington to Masterton had been increased from 33s to 42s 9d per ton. That represented an increase of 29 per cent, against ten per cent in other centres. The increase made the use of the railway uneconomic. It spoke for itself that the military authorities had sent troops from this district to Wellington via Woodville and Palmerston North.

In reply to Mr Cunningham’s remarks the Railways Department representative (Mr F. Parkes) stated that in 1939 freight rates were in a chaotic state owing to the intense competition of road services. As the Railways Department found it uneconomic to run the service, a new tariff had been brought into force. The rates had to be increased to a reasonable level. From Wellington to Masterton rates were down to 22s per ton by road. The Department had to lower its rates slightly below that to compete. That was the explanation of the later increase in rates.

The reason for traffic being diverted via Woodville and Palmerston North from the Wairarapa, Mr Parkes said, was that the potential power haul over the Rimutaka hills was 60 tons to the engine. The other way the haul was 700 tons per engine.