PRIVATE BILL LEGISLATION 221 



Committees. During this session some private railway Bills 

 were opposed in order to prevent higher charges being levied 

 on artificial manures than on ordinary manure. A new 

 Standing Order was procured which required the Board of 

 Trade to direct the attention of Parliamentary Committees 

 to new rates, and this sufficed in some cases to obtain a reduc- 

 tion of the attempted charges. In February of this year the 

 Council endorsed a recommendation of the Royal Com- 

 mission on Agriculture by passing the following resolu- 

 tion : 



" That legislation is required for securing equality in railway 

 rates for the carriage of similar goods under similar conditions." 



It was during this year, too, that the Central Chamber 

 first joined hands with the Mansion House Association on 

 Railway and Canal Traffic, then known as the Railway and 

 Canal Traders' Association, a body with whom close associa- 

 tion has been maintained ever since. 



1884. 



In February a new Committee was appointed by the 

 Council to deal with railway matters, and Mr. Richard Paget 

 was elected as its Chairman. On 6th May the Council passed 

 a resolution asking the Government to give effect to the 

 recommendations of their Select Committee by extending 

 the powers of the Railway and Canal Commission. On 

 22nd May the President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Chamber- 

 lain) introduced a Bill to amend the Regulations of Railways 

 Acts. On 17th June the Council adopted a report from 

 their Railway Committee, strongly objecting to several of 

 its provisions, nominating delegates to join a deputation to 

 Mr. Chamberlain, arranged by the Railway Traders' Asso- 

 ciation, to explain the reasons for their objections. Two of 

 the principal points were (a) the proposal to legalise charges 

 in excess of maximum rates in respect of " station terminals," 

 and (6) the proposal to allow appeals from the Railway Com- 

 missioners on questions of fact. The Bill was not proceeded 

 with by the Government. 



