RAIL CONVEYANCE OF CHEMICAL
COMMODITIES.
(RATES AND CONDITIONS.) J. LUKES. Tho qucstions of trnnsportntion of goods by railwny nnd of tho costs incurrcd nro of tlio utmost importnnco to-day to t h e trnding coininunity in gciicrnl nnd t o tlio chcniicnl trndo in pnrticulnr ; iind tlio rcsult of the unfcttcrcd power givcn to tho Jliriistcr by tho Ministry of Transport Act, 1919, has been uiiplensnntiy rovcnlcd.
Increase of l(utcs.-Under tho provisions of-tho Transport Act, Scction 3 (c), tho rntcs niid chnrgcs wcro raiscd on Jnnunry 15 this ycnr by from 25 pcr cont. to over 100 per ccnt., according to clnss nnd on ~i i l y 7 1920, n furtlier rcfcrcnco wns nindo on bohnlf of tho Jlinistcr of Trnnsport to the Gtntutory Ratcs Advisory Cominittco concerning an intcrirn rovision of rntcs nnd clinrgcs, nnd in conncxion with this tho following ertrncts from tlio Tcrnis of liefcrcnco will bo sclfcsplnnntory :-" I nm dircctcd by tho Jlinistcr of Trnnsport to inform you thnt sinco tho issuo of his dircctions on Dcccnihcr 20 and 23, 1919, to tlio railwny coinpanics of tlic Unitcd liingdoni to incrcnso tlicir clinrgcs it is cstirnntcd thnt tho finnncinl result of working Britisli Rnilwnys (including Jrcland) will show n dcficicncy :is from April 1, 1920 n t tho rate of 254,500,000 per nnnuni, wliich iiicfudcs incrcwcs of ~.I,'iOoJo00 in snlnrics, ntid wnges which cninc iiito forcc on July 1, iindcr tilo provisions of tlio Sliding Scnlc. ' I " Tlio Minister nccordingly dcsircs tho Cornniittco to considcr nnd ndviso him wlint incrcnscs slioiild bo nindo in tho rates, fnrcs, tolls, dues, urid chnrgcs of such cornpanics so ns to yicld by the cird of J nnc, 1931, tho totnl dcficit wliicli cornmcnscd t o nccriic on April 1 last." Tho nmoiint of iidditionnl moncy required in Grcnt Uritnin is cornputcd for sistccn rnontlis to bo fG0,000,000, nnd tliis sum is to bo rniscd bcttvcon tlio tinlo tlio new rntcs nnd fnrcs nro iniposd nnd JiiIy 31, 1921 (tho dnto to which tho period wns subsequcntly cstcndcd). It is cstiinnbd t h a t tho fiuiii to hc collcctcd froin pussen cr fnrcs in Grsiit Ilritnin will 'bo ~17,000,000 for t f o period sxpiring .July 31, 1921, Icnving β¬49,000,000 to bo produced in Crcnt Ilritnin from 6110 rntcs nnd clinrgcs for tho ciirringo of iniiicrnls, nicrclinndise,,, iind live-stock by p o d s nncl pilsscllgcr trains. l o provido this suni i n clovcii months (i.e., from Soptcmbcr 1, 1!320, to .July 31, 1921) rntcs must IIO imposcd to produiv $iX3,600,000 in 11 yenr. An iiicrenscct rcvcnuo of iibout β¬2,600,000 is rcqiiircd in Trclnnd. Tlio Ilntcs Advisory Committco set up undcr Scction 21 of tho Rlinistry of Trnnsport Act, 1919, hns tnkoii ovidcnco, and its rcport, dntcd July 30. 1920, line h c n prcscntcd to tho Ministor (Command I'npor 88G, prico 2d.). According to tho ovidcnco given bcforo 1 his conimitteo, tho proposnlb submittcd by tho rnilwny cornpanics for socuring tho incrcnscd rovonuo rcquircd woro to tho effoct tlint 1111 rntcs npplicnblo prior to Jnnirnry 15, 1920, slioiild l o incrunscd by over 100 pcr ccnt., roturned cinptics by 200 pcr ccnt., sinnll consipmonts by 150 pcr ccnt., nnd tlint no trnlfics ohould bo oxccp,td from tlicw, incrcnsos.