1922.] 



Railway Bates and Agriculture. 



41 



and patent fuel, limestone for chemical works, lime in Class 

 " B " of the General Bailway Classification for iron and steel 

 making purposes, and iron and steel in Class " B " have been 

 reduced to the rates in operation on the 14th January, 1920, 

 plus 75 per cent, with a fiat addition of 4d. per ton. The 

 Caledonian, Glasgow and South Western, and North British 

 Railway Companies have granted similar concessions, with the 

 exception that the reduced rates on coal, coke and patent fuel 

 apply only when the traffic is forwarded to blast furnaces and 

 steel works. Reductions in the rates for iron-ore, ironstone and 

 limestone for blast furnaces and steel works have also been 

 granted. These reductions apply experimentally for a period of 

 12 months. It is for Farmers' Organisations to consider there- 

 fore what useful action they can take on these lines, or by 

 appealing to the Rates Tribunal, to protect their own industry. 



13. With regard to Railway Rates for the future — Part III 

 of the Railways Act, 1921, gives effect to the main recommen- 

 dations of the Rates Advisory Committee set out in its report 

 to the Minister of Transport dated 22nd December, 1920 (Cmd. 

 1098), and so far as it relates to the settlement of standard rates 

 may be summarised briefly as follows : — 



(1) The Railway Companies will snbniit to the Rates Tiil)nnal not 

 later than 31st December, 1922 (unless the Minister of Transport extends 

 the time) schedules of rates in the form set out in the Fourth Schedule to 

 the Act based on the classification upon the settlement of which the Rates 

 Advisory Committee are now engaged. Except for the purpose of settling 

 this classification this Committee have now no functions with regard to 

 charges or other matters relating to railways. 



(2) The Schedules will be published, and after hearing all parties 

 interested and desirous of being heard, the Rates Tribunal will fix the 

 rates and name a day (in the Act called " the appointed day ") when the 

 new rates are to come into operation. These new rates will bo called the 

 Standard Rates and Railway Companies will be bound to charge all traffic 

 at these rates unless an exceptional rate has been gianted or continued in 

 conformity with the provisions of the Act. Tiie Act provides for the 

 mo lification of the Standard Rates or any particular Standard Rate at any 

 time after the appointed day upon application to the Rates Tribunal by 

 the Railway Companies or by Traders. 



14. The provisions of the Railways Act with regard to excep- 

 tional rates are most important, and may be summarised briefly 

 as follows : — 



(i) All exceptional rates in operation immediately before tlu» day 

 when the Standard Rates come into force (i.e., the appointed ilay) will 

 cease to operate, but if a trader interested in any such exceptional rate 

 agrees in writing with the Railwa}' Company before the appointed day 

 for the continuation of his exceptional rate, with or without an increase 



