§ MR. H. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, when the Light Railway Commissioners were holding an inquiry at Beverley, the Commissioners inspected the site of a proposed railway, accompanied by the counsel for the promoters and by the chief promoter, at whose house they and the counsel were staying as guests, without having given notice to parties who dissented from the scheme, and thus giving them an opportunity to be present; and whether the Board of Trade, before confirming the order made by the Commissioners under these circumstances, will direct that a further inquiry be held by an official of the Board?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThe Commissioners inform me that they drove into Beverley, for the purpose of holding the local inquiry, along the road which runs to that place which runs near the proposed route of the railway, but this was in no sense an official inspection of the line of route. The Light Railways Act expressly provides that the Board shall hear objections to the confirmation of the Order, and this will of course be done if any objections are submitted to them.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREWere they with the counsel at the house of the chief promoter as stated in the Question?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI have received no denial of that.