§ MR. MASSEY-MAINWARING (Finsbury, Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the powers given to the Metropolitan Railway Company in 1885 to construct a station in Clerkenwell have lapsed; and, if not, whether the sanction of the Board of Trade is required to the carrying out of such a work, and in that case whether the Metropolitan Railway Company has applied for such sanction at any time since their Bill was passed; whether he is aware that the vestry of Clerkenwell a year ago asked the Metropolitan Railway Company to provide a station in that parish near Rosebery Avenue and the Parcel Post Depât; and whether he has powers by which he can induce the directors to carry out the request of the vestry?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonYes, Sir, the powers have lapsed. I am aware that the vestry of Clerkenwell have asked the Metropolitan Railway Company to build a station at the site named, and the company inform me that the application is under the consideration of the directors, who have not come to a decision, as they are waiting for a report from their engineer. The Board of Trade have no powers of compulsion with regard to such a matter.