§ COLONEL WILSON PATTENasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether he intends to propose any special measure for the consideration of Railway Amalgamation Bills?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEreplied that, without giving any opinion as to the merits of the Railway Amalgamation Bills referred to by his right hon. and gallant Friend, he might state that, in the opinion of the Government, it would not be advisable to leave those Bills to take the ordinary course of reference to a private Committee. It would also be advisable, in their opinion, before Parliament was asked to sanction those Bills, to institute a preliminary inquiry into the question of the public interests involved in these great amalgamations, and the practicability of protecting those public interests. As to the precise mode of inquiry, or the precise terms of reference, he would rather not pledge himself to them at that moment.
§ COLONEL WILSON PATTENwished to inquire, as the matter was of immense importance to commercial and also to railway interests, when he could put a Question as to the exact Motion proposed to be made by the right hon. Gentleman?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEsaid, he would communicate with his right hon. and gallant Friend within the present week.