§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Thames and Severn Canal is now almost entirely owned by the South Western Railway Company; and whether he can state under what Act of Parliament that Railway Company purchased it?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI am informed that the Railway Company purchased, prior to the Act of 1888, 2,140 shares in the Canal out of a total capital of 2,450 shares. The correspondence on the subject will be found in the Parliamentary Paper "Thames and Severn Canal;" 1886 [C. 4897]. Clause 42 of the Act of 1888 was passed in order to prevent such an application of the funds of a Railway Company in future.
§ MR. BARTLEYAm I to understand there was no authority to enable the Great Western Company to purchase this canal?
§ MR. MUNDELLANo direct authority. The whole question is under the consideration of the Board of Trade, in consequence of representations which have been made, and under the circumstances I would rather not say anything more at present.