2(58 AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION 



having themselves also to set the law in motion, with 

 all the risk of loss and disappointment. 



It would, therefore, be a reasonable suggestion that the 

 decision of individual cases of a simple character should 

 be devolved on county courts. 



Since the commencement of our inquiry, it has been 

 satisfactory to note that action has been taken, both on 

 behalf of the agricultural interest to facilitate the collection 

 and despatch of produce so as to assimilate the services 

 rendered for home and foreign produce, and for small 

 and large consignments, and by the railway companies 

 in voluntarily reducing rates and offering greater facilities, 

 especially for small consignments. 



Particulars of the new traffic arrangements in 1896, 

 were furnished to the Commission by the Great Eastern, 

 Great Northern, Great Western, London and North 

 Western, London and South Western, London, Chatham, 

 and Dover, South Eastern, North Eastern, and London, 

 Brighton, and South Coast Railway Companies. 



The Great Eastern, '' as an experiment," were carrying 

 all kinds of farm and market garden produce from 

 nearly all their stations to London at id per 5 lbs., 

 in boxes of specified shape, carriage prepaid. Special 

 reductions have also been made as to rates for corn, 

 feeding stuffs, and manures, natural and artificial, for 

 distances over forty and sixty-five miles. 



The Great Northern made similar arrangements 

 for small packages from rural stations on their lines to 

 London and other large towns. The rate ranges from 

 6d for 20 lbs to is 2d for 60 lbs prepaid. The Company 

 furnish a list of farmers, market gardeners, and others 

 desirous of forwarding produce direct to consumers. 



The rates for stable, farm yard, and other manure, in 

 6-ton lots from London, were also reduced ex- 

 perimentally from 12 to 30 per cent. The rates on 

 fresh meat and dead poultry were also reduced. 



The Great Western Company from August 1896, 

 arranged a reduced scale of rates for fresh meat, dead 

 poultry, butter, eggs, fruit, and vegetables, in con- 

 signments of 10 cwts, I ton, 2 ton, and 3 ton 



