Mr. Thomas Lee.—p. 24.
1. What is your business?
An architect and surveyor.
2. Where do you reside?
At Chitty Mill near Manchester.
3. Are you employed by several gentlemen of property in that neighbourhood to superintend their estates?
Yes.
4. Do you know the property of Colonel Lee at Newton?
Yes.
6. Is Mr. Trafford a gentleman by whom you are employed?
Yes.
7. Can you tell the committee whether, in an agricultural point of view. Mr. Trafford's and Colonel Lee's property has been improved or deteriorated by the Railroad passing through?
It has been improved.
8. Have you found that the farmers have been benefited in the line?
Yes, at Newton.
9. Have Colonel Lee and Mr. Trafford let their lands at higher rents in consequence of the Railroad?
Both of them.
10. Have you taken any yourself at an increased rent?
Yes.
11. In what proportion?
About three acres.
12. At what increase?
Double the original rent.
13. Do the farmers send their produce to Liverpool and Manchester?
Milk goes regularly.
14. Is that sold at a price greater than they could obtain in the neighbourhood?
I think they get a farthing a quart more than they used to do.
24. Has the land on Colonel Lee's property in the site of the Railroad been occupied for building?
Not a great deal at present, but it is expected; and there has been a very large hotel in consequence of the Railroad passing. He might have sold it for 15,000l.
27. Can you tell the committee what the poor rates of Newton are?
One rate at 6d, in the pound produced 95l.
28. How many rates are there in the year?
Eight.
29. What proportion of the rates do the Railway pay?
20l. 7s, out of every rate.
30. That is about one fourth?
Yes.
31. Has the Railway produced additional claimants on the poor rate?
I think not.
32. Do you conceive that the establishment of the Railway between Birmingham and London would produce great advantage to the land proprietors in the line?
I consider it would.
60. What is the cost of timber by the Railroad?
I only pay 5s. for timber; we used to pay 8s. 4d.
61. You have been asked whether you limited the improvement on Colonel Lee's property to building villas and so on?
No; manufactories as well. I have built a foundery since, and another is in progress.
62. Do you not conceive that the agricultural part of the community in that district will also be benefited to a great extent by the Railroad?
I do.