

RATES AND CHARGES ACTS 227 



ments which they had succeeded in carrying amply justified 

 their efforts and the expense incurred. They still, however, 

 especially objected to some of the rates in Clause C, governing 

 the cost of carriage of home-grown grain, as well as to the 

 powers as to station terminals conceded to the companies 

 generally, although no such charges had previously been 

 authorised, except in a few instances. The effect of the addi- 

 tion of the sum for terminals, whatever the length of the 

 journey, combined with the principle of diminishing rates for 

 increasing distances, caused the sanctioned maxima to be 

 practically of no protection whatever to short-distance traffic. 

 The passing into law of these Provisional Order Bills* 

 completed the scheme of railway legislation initiated in 1888. 

 In their report for November, the Railway Committee sum- 

 marised as follows some of the chief points gained by the 

 passing of this legislation, and by the revised classification 

 provided under Sec. 24 of the Act of 1888 : 



(1) The codification and simplification of the charging powers 

 of railway companies, so that any trader may readily discover 

 the maximum rates which he can be legally charged. 



(2) The prohibition of preferential rates for, or treatment of, 

 foreign merchandise. 



(3) The extension of the powers of the Railway Commission. 



(4) The strict limitation of charges for station terminals, which 

 otherwise (under the decision of the Court of Appeal, Hall v. 

 the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway) were practically 

 unlimited over a large part of the railway system of the country. 



(5) The prohibition of charges for terminal services unless 

 actually performed, and the recognition of the right of the trader 

 under certain conditions to perform such services himself. 



(6) The exhaustive classification of merchandise 2327 articles 

 appearing therein, instead of 1391 as proposed by the railway 

 companies and the provision that unenumerated articles are 

 to be charged at Class 3 rates, instead of at Class 5 rates as here- 

 tofore. 



(7) The legal obligation placed, for the first time, upon the 

 railway companies to carry milk and other perishable mer- 

 chandise by passenger train, and the settlement of maxima for 

 its conveyance. 



(8) The legalisation of truck rates for animals. 



(9) The right of all traders to have reasonable through rates 

 fixed. 



* Known as the Rates and Charges Confirmation Acts, 1891. 



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