§ MR. GILHOOLY (Cork Co., W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the rates for freight on the Cork and Bandon Railway between Ban-try and Skibbereen and between Bantry and Dunmanway; whether he is aware that a Bantry merchant has offered a guarantee to the Cork and Bandon Railway Company to treble the goods traffic between the towns above mentioned provided a reasonable freight be accepted; and whether, considering that a baronial guarantee is in existence on a portion of the railway line between Bantry and Skibbereen and Dunmanway, he will take steps to compel the Railway Company to accept a reasonable freight, and thereby increase their traffic and relieve the cesspayers of their liability?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe Board of Trade have a complaint before them as regards certain rates charged by this railway company, and they are dealing with the case under section 31 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888. The Board have no-power to compel companies to accept rates. Railway companies are entitled to fix their rates within the maximum powers given them by Parliament.