§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the proposed agreement between the South Eastern and London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Companies; whether the Board of Trade have considered the question whether an agreement of this character, which practically amounts to a fusion of two great companies, ought to be brought before Parliament for its approval; whether it is the present intention of the directorates of the two companies to submit their agreement to Parliament; and whether, if such is not the present intention of the two companies, the Board of Trade will represent to them the propriety and the desirability, in the interests of the companies themselves, as well as of the districts affected, of obtaining the approval of Parliament to an arrangement of such magnitude, which must exert a great influence upon the convenience of the travelling public generally, as well as upon the large and important districts which these railways serve?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI have received a letter signed by the secretaries of these two companies jointly, in which I am informed as follows—
In reply to your letters of yesterday, we are instructed to say that the proposed agreement between the South Eastern and London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Companies, therein referred to, is made in pursuance of powers conferred upon them by various Acts of Parliament, and it does not therefore require further Parliamentary sanction. There is no reason to apprehend that the operation of this agreement will subject the public using the respective lines to any disadvantage; on the contrary, it will enable the two companies to make some reduction of fares and also to give their customers many important facilities and advantages which could not otherwise be afforded. The agreement does not in any sense constitute an amalgamation of the two companies, but the directors believe that when the public have had some experience of the united working it will be so generally popular as to justify them in applying for Parliamentary authority for a complete fusion of the two undertakings.
§ MR. BRYCEI have not gathered from the answer of the right honourable Gentleman what the view of the Board of Trade is. I think we should have some indication of that.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEYes, Sir; I have told the right honourable Gentleman what the views of the two companies are, and the Board of Trade are not yet in possession of sufficient information to be able to express an opinion.
§ MR. BRYCEThen on some future occasion, when the Board of Trade have had time to consider the subject, I shall endeavour to elicit the views of the Board of Trade.
§ MR. BONSOR (Surrey, Wimbledon)As chairman of one of the contracting railways, I think I might ask leave to supplement the answer of the right honourable Gentleman.
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That would not be in order.
§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)Can the arrangement be completed without the Board of Trade making up its mind as to whether it is legal or not?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The honourable Member is discussing the Question.