Limerick, Ireland – During the most recent meeting of the Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Mr Power brought to the attention of the members an issue regarding the carriage rates for bacon shipments. Limerick Bacon Merchants were reportedly paying ten shillings per ton more than their counterparts in Tralee for the transportation of bacon from Limerick to Liverpool. The chamber had previously written to the Railway Company to address this discrepancy but received an unsatisfactory response.
Mr Shaw, the meeting’s chairman, explained that Tralee enjoyed this advantage due to the shrewd actions of a local merchant. When the Amalgamation Bill was pending, the merchant applied to the Railway Company for a reduction in rates, arguing that it was unfair to give preference to foreign produce entering Tralee while imposing higher charges on Irish produce leaving the town, despite the equal distance in both cases. Mr Colhoun, acknowledging the potential impact of this revelation on the Parliamentary Committee reviewing the Amalgamation Bill, swiftly reduced the rates.
The “cute Tralee merchant” who outsmarted Mr Colhoun is Mr J. M. Slattery, a respected and prosperous member of the community. While the Railway Company claims that the Tralee rates are too low and expresses regret for their failure to rectify the situation before the Railway Commissioners, the public is unlikely to sympathize with their remorse.
In addition to the bacon rates, there have been complaints about potential attempts to circumvent the provisions of the Amalgamation Act. The Company now intends to charge based on the actual weight of butter shipments instead of the accepted weights per firkin, resulting in increased rates. Such a change requires the sanction of the Railway Commission, and every trader affected by this attempt to alter rates within the bounds of the Amalgamation Act is encouraged to raise their concerns.
The Limerick Chamber of Commerce remains committed to ensuring fair and transparent practices in the transportation sector and will continue to address these issues on behalf of local businesses and merchants.
Kerry News – Wednesday 04 November 1903
