1 Juny, 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 25 
_ _ Isee by the reports of the Federal Parliament that one of our most important 
industries—that of sugar—is threatened with hasty legislation to bring about the 
abolition of kanaka traffic. As I have no personal knowledge of the subject, I am not 
Haapared to speak authoritatively on this question, but judging by the correspondence~ 
in the Press on this subject I think that it would be very unwise for the Federal 
Parliament to attempt to decide an important question like this without investigating’ 
fully the merits of the case. I think a resolution should be passed by this Conference: 
asking the Federal Government to appoint a Royal Commission to fake evidence on: 
the plantations with regard to this important question, and report to both Houses of 
the Pederal Government before any legislation on the matter is initiated. 
Now, to come to the question which materially affects the producers in the 
Southern part of Queensland : I refer to the equalising of our railway rates with the 
rates now in force in New South Wales. The Hedeeal Parliament appears to be of 
the opinion that the sooner the Customs tariffs between the States are removed the 
better it will be for all concerned. At present the following duties are in operation 
in Queensland against imported produce:—£1 per ton on flour; 15s. per ton on hay, 
chaff, and potatoes; 8d. per bushel on maize; 4d. per bushel on wheat; 9d. per 
bushel on Cape barley; 1s. 6d. per bushel on malting barley ; pollard and bran, 4d. 
per bushel; malt, 4s. 6d. per bushel. The protective duty in each case will be taken. 
off between the States on the introduction of the Federal tariff. 
I shall now give comparisons between the New South Wales railway rates and 
Queensland railway rates on some of our most important products. For instance, 
take from Killarney to Gladstone, a distance of 500 miles. The comparative rates 
are— / 
Queensland. N.S.W. 
Jom SL a Sue 
Hay and chaff, per ton of es oy Ue 12 6 
Wheat and maize, per ton ... ah ce I 78 14 0 
From Warwick to Bundaberg, a distance of 371 miles, the comparative rates 
are— 
Flour, per ton — fs ace Pll er 2) 13. 0 
Hay and chaff. per to 42: m2 ye Mk at eh 13 0 
From Warwick to Maryborough, a distance of 321 miles :— 
Wheat and maize, per ton .:. Ate acs gal Oh) al ll 6 
From Warwick to Gympie, a distance of 261 miles :— 
Flour, per ton... ew) ron 25) co VAAN “Bi 12 3 
Hay and chaff, per ton ates thy ay, it th is) ee 
From Warwick to Brisbane, a distance of 154 miles :— 
Hay and chaff, per ton As rs a 14 8 6 8 
(The above are for truck loads to port.) 
With the excessive railway rates now in force in this State, and the low railway 
rates in New South Wales and low water carriage from the other States to our 
ports (where the bulk of our consumers are located), it will be impossible, unless our 
rates are assimilated with those of New South Wales, for our farmers to successfully 
range with the imports of the other States, or even to make a living on their 
oldings. 
ins conclusion, I should like to suggest that a resolution be passed by this 
Conference and forwarded to the Queensland Government, pointing out the disabilities _ 
which will threaten the farmers of Southern Queensland when the protective duties 
are remoyed, and asking them to assimilate our railway rates with those of New South 
Wales. 
The following was the next paper read :— 
THE DIFFERENTIAL RAILWAY, FREIGHTS FROM A FARMER’S 
POINT OF VIEW. 
[By J. J. Danimx, Pittsworth.] 
I would like to preface this paper by saying it is not written so much to give as 
to get information, thinking that, now and here, where the wisdom of so many of our 
industries is concentrated, would be a good time to get light that would help not only 
legislation but also those who are interested. ! deal only with the facts that there is 
a difference on the rate of wheat and flour, and that farmers are being asked to protest. 
The difficulty in dealing with this grievance must be the same as any Government 
