§ MR. H. L. W. LAWSON (Gloucester, Cirencester)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the large increase of rates for the carriage of milk on the Stratford-on-Avon branch of the Great Western Railway Company; whether he is aware that it presses with peculiar severity on those farmers and traders who send small quantities to the big towns; and whether he will make further representations to this company, to prevent them thus injuring the interests of the agricultural community under "The Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888 "?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI have received a communication on the subject referred to from the General Manager of the Great Western Railway, from which it appears that a special scale of rates was, prior to the 1st January, 1893, in force in the Stratford-on-Avon district, which was lower than the scale in force on any other part of the Great Western system, and that these have been slightly raised in some cases with a view of establishing uniformity of charge. The total value of the milk traffic from Stratford-on-Avon for the year 1892 was £32 16s. 9d. The Manager adds that the revision of the milk rates carried out on the company's system will result in a substantial loss of revenue.