The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1885. DIFFERENTIAL RAILWAY CHARGES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1992, 16 May 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1885. DIFFERENTIAL RAILWAY CHARGES.

It will be satisfactory to residents in the Wairarapa to learn that the practice of making special charges on particular goods on some of the best paying railways in the colony has received consideration at the hands of several members of Parliament, For some reason of which the public knows nothing, and, judging by the utterances of ils head, the Public Works Department knows less, it has been the custom for some time past to divide goods into classes, and to charge a certain rate per mile, and then to make special regulations according to which certain articles would come, say, under class A on one line, and under class B on another. Business men and settlers have again and again wondered why such an unjust and objectionable distinction should be made, and from time to time protests have been entered and inquiries instituted as to the why and wherefore; but they have led to no result, and elicited no explanation. It has, however, been noticed that those lines on which the higher charges have prevailed have carried a large proportion of the goods referred to, and it may, therefore; be reasonably supposed that the object of the Department waH nothing more nor less than to obtain as much profit as possible from them. The goods so distinguished dp not cause extra expense in handling, nor could they cause more ou ono line thanon another, unless, indeed, the Department itself was at fault in not providing the proper means.. The subject

having been privately discussed, Messrs W. C Buchanan, H. & Fitzherbert, 0, J, Johnston, G. Fisher, and Dr Newman, M.H.R,'s waited upon the Hon. the Minister of Public Works yesterday morning, Dr Newman, who spoke first, pointed out that, 'while a Hon. of coal was carried under class P ontheHurunui-Bluff line it was charged under class N on the Wairarapa line, the result being that, whereas the charge for 50 miles on the former was 7s 8d per ton, on the latter it' was 10s 3d for the same distance, For fencing wire the Wairarapa had to pay 28s lid per ton, where the charge should have been 17a sd, the difference being 60 per cent. The same remark applied to grass seed. The reply which Mr. Richardson made to this was thoroughly illogical, and it was wally surprising that he should have fallen into such an error, He said in effect that the tariff was a protection to farmers in the district. Tn the first place we may say that we do not want protection by means of a railway tariff. If the farmers do not produce sufficient grain and other produce to feed the population, they send to market more than four or five equivalents of the deficiency in other produce, But we have yet tolearn that the extra charges on galvanized iron, fencing wire, reapers and binders, coal, and various other articles which we could enumerate, are of a protective nature. We have always been under the impression that these things did not grow on farms, and that local industry would require to make anumber of leaps and bounds forward before the district could supply itself with those that could be manufactured. Mr Richardson appeared to lay great stress on the. fact that the expenses on the line are very heavy and that in reality "fifteen miles extra should be charged in the place of five; but he failed to explain that no extra mileage on account of mountain traffic is charged on any other line in the colony, although there are but few that are not affected by the differential rates, Perhaps the most extraordinary statement made by the Minister was in reply to a member of the deputation, who ventured to say that Wellington exported a large quantity of meat, and that the charges on sheep might fairly be reduced, Mr Richardson said the sheep dj,d not pome from the Wairarapa ; but he bound himself immediately by saying that if a Jarge traffic in meat were likely to be done, he would be very glad to consider the subject. Now, it he will only just lookup the railway returns, either for ; any four weeks, or for a whole year, he 1 wijl fuel that the Wairarapa line carries more sheep tjp any other line in the polony, except that |tqiu Hurunui to Bluff, and even then the numbs; 1 parrjgd on our line is greater, if the [ mileage of the two js ponsidejed. Mr Richakdsqn either (tried tp bluff the 1 deputation, or he is ignorant of £he business of his Department to a surprising degree, Thja members of .jthe , deputation deserve the hearty (franks ot the settlers in the district for tfre action they have taken in the matter, 1 and we trust that when they draw up their statement, as requested by the Minister, they will succeed in proving to hini tfrat jt is grossly unjust to make fish of on 9 mvp of tfre colony and flesh of another.

The Faust Family performs at Grey? town this evening. The Rev. .0, D. Rogers will preach in the Presbyterian Church, Masterton, tomorrow morning and evening. The usual meeting of the Freethoughfc Association will be held to-morrow evening at %J Theatre Royal. Songs, readings, and reeitaijoflj will be given. The doors open at 7 p.m.

Tenders are invited by the Education Board for the erection of a teacher's resi* /Jgn.ce at Pahiatua, The building, when finished wjU consist of a square fourroomed cottage, without ornamentation of any kind; but its compactness and finish will, no doubt, give it a better appearance than some" of'th'e other houses $ Pahiatua. regard to the deputation of Wairarapa arid \Veiiii?gjbon members of the House .of representatives fa t];e Hon. the Minister of Public Works, it is only jFair to Mr 6. Beethara to mention that'lid yas engaged on other public duties'.' Ijte had when that gentleman Inspected the Wai : poua overflow, and accordingly left Wellington for Masterton by the earjy Jrajn yesterday morning.. Miss Deakin announces in another column that she will open, on Monday next, an establishment for the sale ,q1 materials for ladies' fancy >yprk, and for teaching in all the branches connected therewith, including chrystolewn painting, which is probably one of the most elegant occupations, Miss Deakin has obtained her experience in the best houses in London and Melbourne, and as she makes the venture -referred to at the request of residenjts in Masterton, the ladies of the district w'ili, ; se foe) assured, give her their liberal support

An accident which terminated fatally occurred at Messrs Hood and Walkers station on the Upper Taueru on Thursday, A man named Thomas Blaketfc by some means, had a stake run into his body, the w'ooijl penetrat|ng fjie bladder, The unfortunate man was cynyeye.4 to the Masterton Hospital the same anjyjng at night; but medical skill wajjpf no and he died last night. The deceased was a single man, and had no relatives jn the colony; Mr C. E. Cockburn Hopd informs us that Blakett was a splendid workman, greatly valued by his employers, and reapeoted by tlipse with whom lie was working. The accident oogurred when he was coming out of the buah, through Ms foot slipping.

The foundation stone of the new St, John's Presbyterian Church in Wellington, to replace the one destroyed by fire, was laid with great ceremony on Thursday by Chief Justice Sir James Prendergast, in the presence of a large concourse of pepp)e. The Rev. J. Paterson stated that the position pi the Church was this: —Receipts from Insurance' £3500, subscriptions £3140/' total £u6io| jbt of property adjoining old church £I6OO, cost of school and furniture £1370; contract for church £5469, total £8339. This will leave a debt of £1699. The trowel and mallet used were both mounted in silver, and bore the inscription, "Presented to his Honor Sir James Prendergast, K.C.M.G., .Chief Justice of New Zealand, on'the occasion of his laying'.the foundation' stone of St. JohnVPresbyterian Ohurce, Wellington, N.Z., Jjav 14th. 1885." "Mr read g, list of "'the articles "deposited in the stone, which included a number of newspapers, the card of the architect, and a number of coins' frtim a'" halfpenny Ja half-a-crown. '. ''' ! ".' '"' '"'

Tenders are invited'for cutting 50 acres of scrub at the Wangaehu. The Wairarapa East County, Council, invites tenders for protective works on the Ruamahanga river bank, Te Ore Ore,, Mr A, J, Rawson advertises a-block of land ihtho Rangitumau district, (did that a survey party will be on the ground at an early date. .■■ Mr. J. Hancox, chemist, of the To Aro Pharmacy, Manners-street Wellington calls special attention to the merits of Ms preparation called "Anti-Tussisre," which he claims is a certain cure forcoughs colds, asthma, and other affections' of the throat and tows. The shipping at the.port of Wellington is steadify increasing. The following are the figures for the month of April:— Arrivals, 193 vessels,, representing 56,312 tons; departures, 187 vessels,-represent- ■ ing 54,364 tone, In April, 1884 the statistics were—arrivals, 148 vessels, re-• presenting 36,404 tons; .ine'reasej 45 vessels, representing 19,908 tons.- We may add that the month is not an exceptional one, but that a similar growth may be noticed throughout the, 'past twelve months.

At the Tauranga nominations yesterday Mr Kelly was proposed by Mr Lundon, and seconded by. Mr Penton ;,Mr,Sheehan was proposed by Mr Home, and seconded by Mr Buckknd, Upon a show of hands, the Returning officer declared for Mr Sheehan, 42; Mr-Kelly, 41; A; poll' was demanded by Mr Kelly's proposer. The date of polling is on Friday the 2'tod inst, Mr Sheehan addressed tlie electors in an able speech. ' ..'.', ;...

The accounts received at Vienna of the battle near Tamai have, a correspondent says, evoked an indignant, condemnation of the carelessness of the British commanders, The" Tageblatt'' says:—"GeneralGarham, after commencing operations at Suakim, appears to ho committing the same faults as Lord Wolseley on the Nile. He is advancing without plan, or without sufficiently ascertaining the i enemy's strength andpossition. His forced retreats must encourage,theenemyanddisheartens hisowntroopß." The '"Presse" says:— "If the English have to pay as dearly as they have done the last day, or two for overy inch of their davance towards Berber, and overy mile of railway they are about ao build, the route will cost them a fearfully high price. Hitherto their ships'guns have been able to give them effective assistance, What, then, will happen when further on Osman Dinga opposes them with his whole strength, and they have not the help of their fleet?" Mr Blaeketfc, Engineer-iu-Chief, accompanied by Messrs G, Boetham, M.H.R., Mr Bromner, County Engineer, and Messrs Herbert and' McCardle, visiieijl the scene of the Waipoua overflow at £lie Pairau yesterday afternoon. They first'nj all yiijitejj spot where Mrßremnerproposesfo prec) a (Jam' to turn the river, and thenpe to, theMikiMikibridge,. Afterwards they went'to the Opaki where the water now flows across the main road and railway line. They then met the settlers at Mr J. Cameron's house, and Mr Blaeketfc listened most attentively to the views iJiey presented to him, The party returned to town'about 6 p.m. The result oEMrßJaok'et.tsi visit is, a,5 a matter of course, not made public, 'but 'we have )jeen given to understand'that it is lively jto poye most'satisfactory in every respect, "'" ''"'' "■ ';' '■'