CHAPTER XIV. 



Railway Rates. 



While several witnesses have expressed the opinion 

 that railway rates have not been a cause of depression, 

 are not seriously complained of, and are not in fact 

 excessive, and other witnesses have expressed their 

 opinion that it is impracticable, or might lead to worse 

 mischief to completely alter the principles on which 

 traffic is managed, the bulk of the evidence given and 

 collected by the Assistant Commissioners is to the 

 effect that agriculture has been seriously prejudiced by 

 excessive or preferential railway rates. 



The Central and Associated Chambers of Agriculture 

 have placed this question second in their " Statement " 

 of matters which demand the prompt attention of 

 Parliament, and immediately after the question of local 

 taxation, which was made the subject of our Second 

 Report. 



The Shropshire Joint Committee of the County 

 Council and Chamber of Agriculture puts " the lowering 

 of railway rates and charges " third in their list of 

 remedies, and report practically unanimous complaints 

 of excessive rates and undue preferences both at home 

 and as regards foreign produce, i 



Mr Pringle states the general feeling to be that the 

 railways ought to take their fair share of the depression, 

 and that railway shareholders are receiving 3 to 5 per 

 cent, while farmers are getting nothing on their capital. 



Mr Bell, a Scotch witness, urges that, while the effort 

 'Vol. Ill, App. Ai. 



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