§ MR. KEIR HARDIEI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that live stock are kept in trucks for twenty-two hours whilst making the short journey between Talgarth, in Breconshire, and Aberdare, in Glamorganshire, involving suffering to the animals, sometimes resulting in 49 death, and consequent loss to the traders; and whether he has any powers of interference by which this state of affairs can be remedied.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo, Sir; from the information supplied by the railway companies concerned it appears that since the beginning of the year only five trucks of live stock have been conveyed between the places named, and that in none of these cases was the time taken in railway transit as long as the hon. Member suggests. It is suggested, however, by the railway companies that possibly trucks may occasionally be loaded by owners of stock some time before the trains are to start. The Board of Trade have no powers of interference in the matter.