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would doubtless be forthcoming were the accommodation
greatly extended. These, however, are the classes for whom it
might be practicable to provide out of London.
The Council having come, apparently, to the opinion that
migration does afford the most promising solution to a difficult
question, have had prepared a report, resulting from an exhaustive
enquiry into the number of working men's trains running
from and into London termini, showing what has been done in
this direction by the railway companies, and what remains to
be done to give full effect to this great experiment. Among
others, outside the Council, who have taken a strong and
practical interest in the question, Mr. J. Blundell Maple, M.P.,
is conspicuous. In the debate on the Manchester, Sheffield and
Lincoln Railway (Extension to London) Bill, this gentleman
stated that the Metropolitan Railway Company, had promised
that, on and after June 1st of the present year, they would run
workmen's trains at the following rates:—For a distance of five
miles, 2d.; from five to ten miles, 4d.; from ten to fifteen
miles, Gd. per journey; these fares including the return fare in
every case. Moreover weekly tickets, in packets, will be issued
on this basis. A clause in the new Railway Bill above mentioned,
provides that "In respect of working men carried by
working men's trains between the London station of the Company
and Neasden and intermediate places, the company shall
not be entitled to charge higher fares than are for the time
being chargeable or charged by the Metropolitan Railway
Company by their workmen's trains between their Baker Street
Station and Neasden and intermediate places." It follows, as
a result of the above decision by the Metropolitan Railway
Company, that the working-classes in London will gain the
benefits of this new scale of charges on both lines of railway,
the Bill having become law.
As it may not unreasonably be expected that an impetus
will be given by these arrangements to the erection of houses
L