RAILWAY CHARGES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2549, 10 November 1888, Page 2

RAILWAY CHARGES.

TO THE BDITOB. Sib,—Though the subject of the railway tariff is very nearly pumped dry, if yon could throw any light on the following puzzle you will bo conferring a favour on the general public:—You will observe in Class K the minimum quantity, two tons, is charged at 12* 2d per ton, or 24s 4d fur two tons. Now, if you only want one ton it comes under Class D, and is charged 24s 9d, so you actually pay od more for carrying one ton from Auckland than you do for two. You will see by the weigh bills enclosed that in one instance two and a-half tons costs 235; in another, a similar quantity, 31s 2d ; in the other instance, two tons two hundredweight costs 24s 2d, and if you only want one ton you pay 24s 9d for it. I suppose if a legal fiction was adopted and all goods of this class between one ton and two were consigned as two tons weight, tho railway authorities would be compelled to adopt another scale more in accordance with common sense. It is nearly time that men with a little knowledge of business were placed at the head of the Railway Department, as in this instance the cost of freight on colonial produce is 7J per cent, on the invoice.—Yours, etc., SITFrEIiEIt. Hamilton, 7th November, 1888.