1906.] 



Report on Railway Rates. 



an agricultural station half-way between A and C. There are 

 in use rates under which the local trader at B sees foreign and 

 colonial produce in large quantities conveyed from A io C on 

 terms better than he can command for small quantities from 

 B to C. From his point of view this is preference, and accounts 

 for the wide-spread feeling of grievance which led to the appoint^ 

 ment of this Committer. 



This prnnd-facze preference is justified and explained by the 

 railway companies on the grounds of the greater bulk, more 

 constant and regular supply, and better packing of the foreign 

 and colonial consignments; of the lessened cost, therefore, of 

 dealing with them, and also of the undeniable fact that, in many 

 cases, the competition of water transit is so se^re that, unless 

 they have the rates which now prevail, this traffic would equally 

 go to its destination, and would equally compete with home pro- 

 :duce in the market, but that the profit of carrying it would go 

 into hands other than theirs, and so their power of spending on 

 the development of their business would be lessened, to the 

 general detriment of the British public. 



The Committee recognise the strength of the justification and 

 explanation, and cordially admit the generous offers and efforts 

 made by most of the great companies to stimulate local agri- 

 cultural trading, offers and efforts which have met with but very 

 scanty recognition. The local trader cannot expect for small, 

 irregular, and often ill-packed consignments the same rates and 

 facilities as are given to the large, regular, and well-packed con- 

 signments with which he is in competition, and, in order to claim 

 comparatively equal rates and facilities, he must organize some- 

 thing like a reasonable approach to the conditions under which 

 the competing trade is carried on. 



At the same time the Committee consider that the circum- 

 stances and conditions of British agriculture entitle it to fair 

 and generous treatment, and that, therefore, when any such 

 reasonable approach is made, the trader should be, if he is not 

 already, entitled to demand, as a right, such rates and facilities 

 as would place him on a comparative equality with his foreign 

 or colonial rival, and that as a dispute as to what was a reason- 

 able approach might arise, and as it might be difficult for an 

 ordinary trader to conduct his case personally, the Board ot 



