340 Conferences on Railway Rates. [sept., 



CONFERENCES ON RAILWAY RATES. 

 The Board have addressed the following circular to Agricul- 

 tural Societies, Chambers of Agriculture, and Farmers' Clubs in 



Great Britain : — 



Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 



4, Whitehall Place, London, S.W., 



August, 1905. 



Sir, — I am directed by the President of the Board of 

 Agriculture and Fisheries to inform you that he has again 

 had under his consideration the question of the rates and 

 facilities for the carriage of agricultural produce, as to which 

 correspondence took place last year between the Board and the 

 principal Railway Companies (Parliamentary Paper Cd. 2045).* 



One of the, subjects discussed in that correspondence was 

 the desirability of holding from time to time local conferences 

 between agriculturists and representatives of the Railway 

 Companies, and, with a view to facilitate the holding of such 

 conferences, Mr. Fellowes has recently addressed the following 

 letter to the Chairmen and General Managers of the principal 

 Railway Companies. 



" Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 



" 4, Whitehall Place, London, S.W., 



" July 7th, 1905. 



"Sir, — You will remember that in the correspondence which took place last year 

 between this Department and the Railway Companies 'on the subject of the rates 

 and facilities for the carriage of agricultural produce, and which was published as a 

 Parliamentary Paper [Cd. 2045], reference was made to the advantage that might be 

 obtained if local conferences were held from time to time at which representatives 

 of the Railway Companies might attend to discuss with agriculturists any questions- 

 which presented themselves for settlement. 



" Two such conferences have since been held at the instigation of the Board, and 

 my attention has recently been called to another conference which was held between 

 the Goods Manager of one of the large Railway Companies and the members ot an 

 important Chamber of Agriculture. 



"The result of this Conference was more su~:essful than I could possibly have 

 hoped, for not only were agriculturists able to discuss the various matters in which 

 they are interested with a chief official of the Railway Companies, but many 

 misconceptions on the part of the farmers were removed by the explanations which 

 the Goods Manager w?s able to give. 



"It is undoubtedly the case that there is often in the minds of many farmers a 

 feeling of irritation against the Railway Companies, which is largely due to the fact 

 that they do not realise or understand the conditions under which the goods traffic of 

 a railway is carried on, and I believe that very much good would result if from time 

 to time conferences wer^ held in different parts of the country between the local 

 agriculturists and one of the chief officers of the Railway Company. 



* See Journal, Vol. XL, No. 2, p. 65, and No., 9 p. 513. 



