§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the medium trucks of the Highland Railway Company are undersized and only capable of carrying seven full-sized cattle as compared with eight by the 1242 trucks of other Companies; and that in consequence the rate per truck from some parts of Ross-shire to London is £10, or 25s. more than if the capacity of the truck were equal to that of other Companies; and whether the Highland Railway Company will be required by the Board of Trade to use a medium truck of larger size, or make a proportionate reduction in their charges?
§ * MR. BRYCEI have communicated with the Highland Railway Company, and the General Manager informs me that all Highland trucks are capable of carrying eight cattle, are of medium size, and do not materially differ from those of other Companies in Scotland. The Highland Company have some trucks six inches less in length, but these are being gradually converted to the medium or full size—namely, 15 feet 6 inches, and 18 feet in length respectively. The Board of Trade have no power to interfere as to the size of the trucks; any specific complaints of unreasonable treatment will, however, be dealt with by the Board under Section 31 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888.