RAILWAY TRAFFIC CHARGES

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1403, 30 June 1881, Page 3

RAILWA Y TRAFFIC CHARGES

The following correspondence has been unavoidably held over for the last two issues :—: — Wartle, June 20th, 1881, TO THE EDITOR, " WAIKATO TIMES." Sir,— ln April last I was told by Mr John Runciman that there was some cheap guano for sale in Auckland, which, from his experience, he had found very useful on pasture land. The carriage of this guano from Auckland to Hamilton, he also understood, would be 14s per ton. Being a stranger in New Zealand, I got Captain Steele to make the purchase for me and arrange with the railway authorities for the transmission of the manure to Hamilton. Judge ot my, and his, astonishment when the charge sent to us for the carnage of 23 tons 16 CAvt. of low-priced «.guano from Auckland, was £27 5s 4d. The manure might be cheap according to its intrinsic value in Auckland, but when it arrived in Hamilton Avith that frightful charge upon it, it was not cheap. The only reason, as I understand, given for this extortionate charge, i 3 that the trucks were laden from the ship at the wharf, instead of the guano being carted from the ship and then transferred from the carts to the railway wagons. If I recollect aright, however, (for I have not the bill at this moment by me) there is a distinct charge for haulage from the wharf to the goods' station, as well as the additional extom tionate charge of either 9 or 7 shillings per ton for carriage from the wharf to the railway station. One might suppose it would have been evident to persons, not possessed of an extraordinary amount of muddleheadedness, that it would be wisdom to encourage direct transfer from the ships to the trucks, of bulky articles like manures, but it appears that the brilliant intellects of the railway authorities of New Zealand never thought of such a thing, until mention was called to the subject by my indignant remonstrance. I send you the letters that have passed between the office at Wellington and myself on this subject. I have received no answer to my second letter, and therefore infer that there is no intention to render me any redress. — I am, &c, Jos.- J. Barugh.