§ Mr. A. ALEXANDERasked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the case of a farmer carrying on business near Crewe, who stated that out of £3 per ton he got for his potatoes he had to pay 19s. 2d. per ton for railway carriage from the farm near Crewe, to Levenshulme, near Manchester; and whether, the effect of such excessive charges being to discourage the growing of food in this country, he will make representations to the Ministry of Transport with a view to an immediate revision of such excessive charges?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ASHLEYI have been asked to reply to this question. The matter had not previously been brought to the attention of either the Ministry of Transport or the Ministry of Agriculture. Under the provisions of Sections 60 and 78 of the Railways Act, 1921, any trader interested in a particular railway charge may apply to the Bates Tribunal to reduce that charge.