THE LATE FREIGHT MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 852, 22 August 1881, Page 3

THE LATE FREIGHT MEETING.

(To tlie Editor Waiiiakapa Daily.) Mostertmi, August 18. Sir—The reports of the meeting held in the Temple Chambers in connection with m! 4dK3T .#Kow a' peculiar state of j puUi 1 □ _fee 1 mg,' 1 Tho first resolution af firmed that the charge for carriage of goods excessive, but Buch does not appeat' e 'the reports, to have been proved!' Oeriain speakers alluded to the charging minimum weights for Bmall packages, and one argument adduced was that if ! £ small parcel cost a certain amount for carriage, the charge for a ton of goods would bear a relative proportion. On th? face of the whole affair, it appears to me that the complainants understand very little'aborit the mattor, and that if, instead of abusing the railway department, they, would instruct their consignor to'uso -ordinary business precautions, there"would be very little, to complain about. It is well-known that a parcel sent by, passenger train is chargod at a higher rate than if forwarded by goods-train, and gets, in consequence, quicker; passage and (ought t#) more, care, A very simple remedy for a good many of tho complaints would be found: in a parcels., delivery company, having agent in Wellington, and I have pften wondered that such'ii cdmp'any has not been formed. The collection of parcels in Wellington, packing in lhauipera or bans, and sending by the agent in town to the agent here, would materially' tediice tho cost of freight, and small goodi and parcels could be delivered at a price that would pay both [the /company and the commercial public.",'Tho remark mado that the rate ofj |3lss per toil wuuldmore than repay/ any road carriers, only shows a want of knowledge of such matters. The meetingjeeems to have taken a step in the wronß.direetion, and I do not bolievo any good will 4 come of the application to the Government. Ido not mean to say by this that things are altogether' as they should. be, for instance, the Department does not permit receipts to be given for money paid, that is a culpable negligence, as it opeits the way for overcharges and embezzlement. Then there may be mistakes, incompetence, and incivility. But the fault of sending parcels by passenger instead of goods trains, appears to be chargeable to the sender in most cases either through curtlessneai or neglect in consigning .articles. t Concerning the inconvenience of time table, that is.a matter for the Department 0 rectify,,and I was glad to see it taken up, although it would have been better 1 think to have mado the application distinct from the other. ■•I'll'--' 1 I am', &c.,"" Ex-Cabbies.