336 DO THE RAILWAYS HELP THE FARMERS? 



penditure, altogether, was incurred. Yet the 

 applications for the proffered special terms 

 during the ensuing twelve months represented 

 a total of only 268 for the whole of the London 

 and North Western Railway Company's system ; 

 so that a leading official was constrained to 

 observe, in a report he drew up on the subject : — 



The comparative paucity of applications, considering 

 the publicity given to our willingness to assist, confirms 

 what has been already stated — that the agricultural 

 depression does not largely exist in the districts we serve, 

 and that where it does exist the remedy is not one within 

 the powers of this railway company to provide. 



All the same, the posters and the handbills 

 already mentioned were issued afresh by the 

 company at the end of 1903. 



Then the Great Western Railway Company, 

 in addition to holding the conference to which I 

 have already referred, followed it up by others, 

 and sent experienced officers to the farmers and 

 market gardeners in the principal agricultural 

 districts of the Western and Midland counties 

 to bring prominently to their notice the fact 

 that by joining hands instead of acting indi- 

 vidually they might obtain full advantage of 

 reduced rates and increased railway facilities. 

 The officers were further instructed to closely 

 study the particular directions in which the 



