66 



Railway Rates. 



[may, 



place, their views with regard to the principal complaints and 

 suggestions which have been made by agriculturists, and, in the 

 second place, to ascertain what can be done by consignors of 

 agricultural produce, either individually or in combination, to 

 obtain for themselves the best possible terms and facilities 

 for the carnage of their goods. 



Sir Frederick Harrison, the General Manager of the London 

 and North-Western Railway, to whom Lord Onslow addressed 

 himself in the first instance, was good enough to bring Lord 

 Onslow's desire under the notice of his colleagues, with the 

 result that the General and Traffic Managers of the leading lines 

 of railway very courteously responded to the invitation thus ad- 

 dressed to them, and attended, either personally or by their repre- 

 sentatives, at a Conference which met at this office on the 29th 

 July last, a representative of the Board of Trade being also present. 



The following Companies took part in the Conference, viz. : — 

 London and North-Western Railway, London and South- 

 western Railway, Great Western Railway, Great Northern 

 Railway, Great Eastern Railway, Midland Railway, Great 

 Central Railway, Caledonian Railway, Cambrian Railway. 



The Conference was of a somewhat informal character, and it 

 was not possible for the subjects which were presented for con- 

 sideration to be discussed in any detail. But the exchange of 

 views which then took place made it abundantly clear that the 

 Companies represented were very ready to consider, in a fair 

 and reasonable spirit, any representations which might be made 

 to them by agriculturists, either directly or through the agency 

 of the Board themselves. 



At the termination of the Conference it was agreed that it 

 would be desirable that the Board should bring under the notice 

 of individual Railway Companies the various topics which had 

 been discussed in general terms, and in pursuance of this under- 

 standing Lord Onslow now desires me to submit the following 

 observations, and to ask that they may receive the consideration 

 of your Directors, and of the various officials concerned : — 



1. Conveyance of Small Parcels of Farm and Dairy Produce. 



It has been suggested to Lord Onslow that many of the 

 smaller class of farmers would be assisted in the marketing of 



