RAILWAY RATES—IRELAND. (Hansard, 14 February 1896)

§ MR. W. FIELD
I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is aware that the Great Southern and Western Railway of Ireland levy a rate of 6s. 11d. more per waggon of six tons of corn from Tullow to Dublin than is charged for a similar quantity from Carlow, which is about four miles further from Dublin; and, whether a more equable system of rates can be obtained for traders?

§ MR. RITCHIE
The Great Southern and Western Railway Company inform me that they levy the general scale rate for corn between Tullow and Dublin, but between Carlow and Dublin they charge less, as they are in competition with the Grand Canal Company between these points. I do not think the Board of Trade can usefully intervene in the matter.

§ MR. FIELD
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether any steps can be taken to relieve the traders?

§ MR. RITCHIE
The Railway Company assert that the law justifies them in the course they pursue, and no doubt the wording of the Act of Parliament is so wide that it is extremely difficult to lay down any hard-and-fast rule with regard to the charges. I may remind the hon. Member that in the Railway and Canal Traffic Act the words are:— In deciding whether a lower charge or difference in treatment does or does not amount to an undue preference, the Court having jurisdiction in the matter, or the Commissioners, as the case may be, may, so far as they think reasonable, in addition to any other considerations affecting the case, take into consideration whether such lower charge or difference in treatment is necessary for the purpose of securing in the interests of the public the traffic in respect of which it is made, and whether the inequality cannot be removed without unduly reducing the rates charged to the complainant.

§ MR. FIELD
May I ask if the right hon. Gentleman will take any measures in order to remove this inequality?

§ MR. RITCHIE
No, Sir, it can only be done by legislation, and I am not prepared to say that we can undertake any legislation which would enable the Courts to decide within a more limited area than they now seem to have the power of doing. I do not profess myself to interpret the words of the Act, and I do not know if anyone else in the House can.

§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)
If this case occurred in England, would it be tolerated?