§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSE (Wilts, Devizes)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that on the Great Western Railway, under the rates which came into effect on 1st March last, there has been on full churns of 17 gallons of milk an increase of ⅛d. per gallon as compared with the old scale, including the charge for returned empties; whether he is aware that this charge, amounting to 1s. 7⅛d. per full churn, is also ⅝d. in excess of the rate issued on 1st January on all distances between 50 and 75 miles; that the charge to the farmer under the old rate was 1s. 5d. per full churn, and under the present rate 1s. 7⅝d. per full churn; and whether, in view of the fact that, owing to existing contracts, the whole of these increased charges are borne by the farmer, he will make further representations to the Railway Company on the subject?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI have received a statement from the General Manager of the Great Western Railway (which I shall be happy to show the hon. Member), from which it appears that while in the particular instance referred to there is an increase of one-eighth of a penny upon a 17 gallon churn for a distance of between 50 and 75 miles, in every other case there is either a reduction or the rate does not exceed the rate in operation prior to the 1st of January last, and that in the total result the Company will incur a substantial loss of revenue in the receipts for their milk traffic.