§ MR. COGHILL (Newcastle-under-Lyme)asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has had his attention called to the fact that Railway Companies continue to publish amongst their bye-laws one to the effect that any passenger travelling without a ticket, or failing or refusing to show and deliver up his ticket to any duly authorized servant of the Company when required so to do, shall be required to pay the fare from the station whence the train originally started to the end of his journey; whether this bye-law was held by the Judges of the Common Pleas Division in the London and Brighton Railway Company v. Watson to be "unreasonable and void"; and, whether the Board of Trade will, from time to time, so revise the bye-laws of the Railway Companies as to prevent the insertion in them, as valid, of bye-laws which have been previously held to be invalid by the Judges of the Superior Courts of Law?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS-BEACH)Yes, Sir, I believe the law is as stated by the hon. Member. The matter has been under my attention, but the question of the revision of bye-laws is a very difficult one, and looking to the pressure thrown on the Department by the Railway and Canal Traffic Act of last year, I cannot definitely undertake to say when the matter will be dealt with, but I will promise that it shall not be lost sight of.