HC Deb 20 July 1896 vol 43 cc139-40
MR. W. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)

On behalf of the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland (Mr. T. P. O'CONNOR), I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the proceedings in the case of cruelty to cattle heard before the Colchester Magistrates on the 7th instant, the Board of Trade will call the attention of all Railway Companies to the cruelties inflicted on cattle under the present system, and will endeavour to induce the railway managers to alter the cattle trucks and to fit them with moveable compartments, so that each animal may have the equivalent of a separate stall.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) Croydon

Perhaps the hon. Member will refer to a reply which I gave to a question put upon this subject by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for southeast Essex on the 13th inst. I hope the railway companies will deal with this subject themselves as far as they are able, but I fear, putting mechanical difficulties aside, that such an alteration in the trucks as that suggested would involve a great increase in the cost of carriage.

MR. W. FIELD

Is it to be understood that the Directors of this great company do not know about this lamentable occurrence on their line?

MR. RITCHIE

All I can say is that they perfectly naturally think they should have some time to make inquiries.