MR. FIELDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the basis of all railway rates (more especially those on livestock) in Ireland is much higher than the recognised standard of calculation in Great Britain; whether it is intended that in the promised revision the Irish Railway Companies will level down their charges so as to equalise them with English and Scotch rates; and whether the Board of Trade will take measures to remedy the disparity between mileage tariffs on imports and on native products?
§ MR. MUNDELLAIf by the basis of all railway rates the hon. Member means the statutory powers granted to the companies I do not think that, so far as regards merchandise, those are higher than the powers granted, for example, to the Great Western Branch lines, and to the lines south of the Thames. As regards live stock the powers are higher, but the clauses conferring those powers were agreed to by the Irish traders when the Bill was before Parliament. I have no power to insist that Irish rates shall be precisely equal to English or Scotch 437 rates: the difference in the size of the Irish trucks is, for instance, a matter which introduces variety of charge. As regards the last portion of the hon. Member's question, I can only refer him to the provisions of Section 27 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888, in which it is provided that—
No Railway Company shall make, nor shall the Court, or the Commissioners, sanction, any difference in the tolls, rates, or charges made for, or any difference in the treatment of, home and foreign merchandise, in respect of the same or similar services.
MR. FIELDIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the Cattle Traders' Association only agreed to these terms because they were obliged to. Is there any Court of Appeal to which they can go?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI am not aware of that. They went, I believe, before the Joint Committee and agreed to the arrangement.