§ MR. CHANNING () Northampton, E.I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the fact that the House of Commons, on, 19th May 1886, by reading the Railway Regulation Bill of that year a second time, sanctioned the principle of giving powers to the Board of Trade to order couplings to be affixed to goods wagons and mineral trucks which should make it unnecessary for men to go between them for the purpose of coupling and uncoupling, he will ask the House at an early date, to affirm the same principle by reading the Regulation of Railways Hill of this year a second time, and refer the Bill to a Departmental Committee with a view to legislation next Session?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI hardly think we should be justified in asking the House to enter upon what I fear would be a somewhat prolonged discussion on the Bill to which 977 the honourable Gentleman refers merely for the purpose of enabling the House to again sanction a principle which the honourable Gentleman says has already been approved by the House of Commons, and without the intention of proceeding further with the Bill in the House. The inquiry which the honourable Gentleman suggests, although I express no opinion as to the tribunal, may be desirable, but I do not think it would be expedited by the course he recommends.
§ MR. D. A. THOMAS () Merthyr TydfilDoes the right honourable Gentleman intend to proceed with the Bill at all?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI answered a Question on the same subject by the honourable Member the other day, and I have nothing to add to that answer.