1904.] 



Railway Rates. 



71 



satisfactory character, and Lord Onslow is of course well aware 

 that if undue preference could be proved a remedy is provided 

 by Statute. At the same time Lord Onslow is of opinion that 

 better relations between consignors and carriers would be 

 established if the Companies would place him in a position to 

 issue such information to agriculturists as would enable them 

 to see clearly that, taking into consideration the circumstances 

 of the traffic, as regards its quantity, its packing, its regularity, 

 and all other matters affecting its cost to the Company, except 

 so far as they may be matters special to the foreign origin of the 

 goods, the home traffic is placed in a position of strict equality 

 with the foreign traffic. 



Lord Onslow would therefore be glad to receive information 

 which might be placed before agriculturists as to the rates and 

 conditions specified for the carriage of the principal items of 

 foreign and Colonial agricultural produce from the ports of 

 arrival to the great urban centres, with similar information as to 

 sea freights where the Companies are also the owners of lines 

 of steamships. Some indication of the principles which guide 

 the Companies in the settlement of these rates and conditions 

 might at the same time be given. By this means greater con- 

 fidence in their propriety would, in Lord Onslow's opinion, be 

 established, and difficulty and friction avoided. 



8. Rates and Charges from Rural Stations. 



Complaint is not infrequently made that in certain cases the 

 rates for particular descriptions of produce from stations serving 

 agricultural districts to large towns are higher than the rates 

 charged for longer distances to the same towns from other 

 centres of population. 



Lord Onslow is aware that such anomalies cannot be 

 altogether avoided, especially in the face of competition with 

 carriage by water, but he is of opinion that something might be 

 done in the direction of the equalisation of the rates for the 

 carriage of goods from the rural districts with those enjoyed by 

 traders in urban districts. In view of the great importance 

 from every point of view of encouraging all who carry on their 

 industries in rural districts, Lord Onslow trusts that the Com- 



