CONFERENCE ON FRUIT GROWING. 



65 



tomatoes to Newcastle by water. Another reason why we should go to 

 Parliament is that while these railways worked in competition we had some 

 chance of getting reasonable rates. But now railways are all alike. It 

 does not matter so much about rates, if we can stand them, if we get 

 some service in return. We are paying higher rates and yet we are not 

 getting the service. We want the ventilated trucks, but we do not want 

 the cool chambers truck for them to cuddle up our fruit for a week, and 

 we do not need special services. There is no reason why they should be 

 allowed to classify our goods as they are doing, and it is time our trade 

 joined together to get every member of Parliament to support our case. 



Mr. T. F. Goddard, Solicitor to the National Federation of Trades 

 Association : I speak with great diffidence, where so many are here 

 better qualified to speak, but there are some points on which even a 

 lawyer may usefully talk. I would first take a preliminary point, with 

 regard to what Mr. Idiens said to-day as to the capital of the railway 

 companies producing only three per cent., because this is a mis- 

 apprehension, and whilst it remains it prejudices a trader in stating his 

 case. This is one of those questions that we have no difficulty in 

 meeting. Capital, as you are all aware, includes known watering, and 

 unknown watering. The known watering is in the Board of Trade 

 returns, and the unknown we must guess ; but three per cent, is not, as 

 a rule, on anything like the actual subscribed amount. It is not even 

 money that purports to have been subscribed, but is on the market price. 

 In the next place, also a preliminary point : railway managers ought to 

 know the tonnage, train mileage, and costs and receipts in respect of the 

 tonnage and train mileage for each class of traffic ; for if you want to 

 make a successful business you should know how you stand from day 

 to day, from week to week, and from month to month, and this in 

 respect of each branch and detail — for instance, a dairyman ought to be 

 able to put his finger on every particular milk-cart and on everything 

 carried by the cart. The railway companies could do the same, and 

 until they do they are not doing their business properly or to produce the 

 best results. 



And now for the questions you are discussing. It ought not to be a 

 question of Traders v. Railway Companies, but Traders plus Railway 

 Companies. You must educate them. \ ; ou have got to make railway 

 companies understand that you are not satisfied, and that they will 

 not make money, any more than you will, by their present methods. The 

 railway companies by their conduct lose a whole series of fortunes 

 each year for themselves as well as you, which are ready to be made by 

 anyone who will tackle the question in a broad spirit, and get rid of 

 prejudices. If you are going to make a fortune, on neither side must 

 there be any waste. It is the duty of the grower to see that there is 

 no waste. Both must set themselves to bring produce to market in the 

 best and quickest way. I should think it is hardly understood by the 

 majority of people in England how much time is really wasted in 

 transit. What has caused this grievance ? The first great cause is 

 simply and solely the method which has been adopted for many years as 

 the system of management. The idea of the railway companies always 

 used to be — it is not altogether so now — that the boy should rise to the 



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