§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)On behalf of the honourable Member for East Northampton, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the successful claim brought by Mrs. Wiley, in the Shoreditch County Court, on Saturday last, against the North London Railway Company, for injuries sustained by her falling out of an overcrowded compartment in which she was obliged to stand against the door; whether he is aware that such over-crowding is constantly occurring on the London and suburban railways at certain times in the day; and whether he can take steps, by representation to the companies or otherwise, to induce or compel the companies to make better provision of carriages at such hours?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonYes, Sir, my attention has been called to the case referred to, but I understand the company do not admit the accuracy of the facts as stated in the Question. I am anxious to do everything in 942 my power to press the companies to mitigate the evils arising from overcrowding, and correspondence is continually passing between the Board of Trade and the companies on the subject. No remedy has been found. It is doubtful whether some companies can put on more trains or add more carriages to existing trains. Large accommodation is given by the metropolitan companies; for instance, the North London—the line upon which the accident to Mrs. Wiley happened—state that between 5 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. on week days (Saturdays excepted), 28 trains are run from Broad Street to Bow, having a seating capacity for 15,112 persons.