Captain COOTEasked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet reached a decision upon the question of cheap railway fares for fruit pickers; and whether he is aware that the fruit-picking season has now been in progress for over a week and that the delay in arriving at a decision is having a most damaging effect upon the operations of the fruit-growing industry?
§ Sir E. GEDDESI regret that I am unable to find any sufficient justification for asking the railway companies to extend concessions as to cheap fares at a moment when increasing expenditure requires a further increase in rates and fares.