§ MR. G. DRAGE (Derby)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether his attention has been called to a resolution unanimously passed by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants at their annual general meeting at Manchester, on 1st October, 1895, advocating the abolition of stiff shackles, the adoption of a standard pattern coupling for goods, coal, and other wagons, the attaching of hand-brakes to horse-boxes and carriage-trucks, and the labelling of wagons on both sides; and whether, in view of the number of accidents to goods guards, brakesmen, and shunters, he will urge the railway authorities to consider the matter?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe Resolution referred to has not been brought to my notice. The Board of Trade have, however, always taken an interest in the subjects referred to by the hon. Member. I understand that the suggestions as to shackles and couplings are met by the railway companies in the construction of new wagons, both belonging to themselves and to traders. As to labelling wagons, the Board of Trade have been in communication with the Railway Association, and gather that there is not much objection to the proposal on the part of companies, but that traders are not prepared to incur expense in regard to their trucks. The question as to attaching hand-brakes to horse-boxes and carriage-trucks is new, and I am not prepared to make any statement respecting it at present.