§ 58. Mr. CAMPIONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the injury that is being inflicted on the milk trade of this country owing to the increase in railway rates; and whether, owing to the urgency of this question, he is prepared to take immediate steps to deal with the matter?
§ 65. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the right hon. Gentleman whether, seeing that urgent appeals have been addressed to the railway companies by milk producers in every part of England and Wales for at least two months for the reduction of their increased charges, amounting in some cases to 14 per cent., for the conveyance 1404 of milk, and that such increase of charges has rendered precarious the industry of many of the smaller milk producers, he will obtain from the railway companies without further delay an assurance that such charges shall be forthwith substantially reduced?
§ 67. Mr. ORDE-POWLETTasked the right hon. Gentleman whether any answer has yet been received from the railway companies in respect of the application for the reduction of the rates in the milk traffic; and, if not, whether he will take steps to obtain an assurance that these rates shall be materially reduced without delay?
§ Mr. BURNSThe Railway Clearing House inform me that they have communicated to the Milk Traders' Railway Rates Committee a modified scale of rates for the conveyance of milk which they propose to introduce on 1st March, as the result of the traders' representations, with the object of reducing the charge in certain cases where the calculation of fractions of a penny as a penny was found to operate hardly. I am forwarding to the hon. Members a copy of the letter from the Railway Clearing House to the committee.