Fortunes for Farmers 



private companies for a percentage of receipts, 

 and thus conduces its operations with a minimum 

 of trouble and outlay; the result being entirely 

 satisfactory. 



In England railways are looked on as an invest- 

 ment, and as, when built to develop the country, 

 they cannot hope to more than pay their way, it 

 is almost impossible to find capital for them. 

 Further, there is in the case of light railway 

 projects, an unreasoning opposition on the part 

 of existing lines, which fight tooth and nail 

 against them, and put every obstacle in their 

 way. Belgian experience shows that so far from 

 competing with the main lines, these light 

 railways act as feeders, and largely increase the 

 general traffic. In Belgium they are satisfied 

 without profit on light railways, recognizing their 

 value in developing the country, and there is no 

 doubt, says Rowntree, that their intrinsic value 

 to the community is inestimable. In accordance 

 with this policy of encouraging agriculture, they 

 carry the produce at very low rates, trying rather 

 to increase the traffic than to tax what already 

 exists " as high as it can bear." They convey 

 44 lb. of vegetables 94 miles for yd., against the 

 English rate of 2s. id. For lots of one to five 

 tons their charge is two or three times less than 

 ours, and they convey a can of milk of 22 lb. 93^ 



.56 



