§ Mr. CLOUGHasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any communication from the Settle and District Farmers' Association concerning the high rates charged by the Midland Railway Company for the carriage of milk from Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Leeds; and whether he has yet succeeded in obtaining from the railway company a reduction of these rates?
Mr. TENNANTI have received a communication from the Association on the matter, and it has been referred to the railway company, who have explained that the owners' risk rates generally charged for the conveyance of milk are as follows:—
and that Horton-in-Ribblesdale, being more than 40 miles distant from Leeds, the rate payable is 1d. per imperial gallon, while the distance between Settle and Leeds, to which the Association referred, being under 40 miles, the rate payable for milk from Settle is ¾d. per gallon only. The company state that they do not see their way to reduce the rate of which the Association complain, and which is less than they are entitled to charge. I understand that the scale of charges is that usually adopted by other companies.
- Up to 20 miles, ½d. per imperial gallon; minimum charge, 6d.;
- Above 20 and up to 40 miles, ¾d. per imperial gallon; minimum charge, 9d.;
- Above 40 and up to 100 miles, 1d. per imperial gallon; minimum charge, 1s.