§ MR. TULLY (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, as representing the Board of Agriculture, whether, having regard to the fact that as the Governments of the Colonies and foreign countries, importing butter into Great Britain provide refrigerator cars on their railways, cold stores at the ports of shipment, and refrigerator chambers on the steamships for dairy produce, the Board of Agriculture will be empowered to negotiate with the carrying companies, and provide similar advantages for Irish produce during the summer months.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThis important matter is engaging the attention of the new Department. Refrigerating cars are provided on two Irish railway lines, and the principal companies have also provided wagons specially constructed for the carriage of butter, though not fitted with refrigerating apparatus. Similar facilities exist on some of the cross Channel steamers.
§ MR. HUMPHREYS-OWEN (Montgomeryshire)At whose expense is this done—at the cost of the public, or of the railway companies?
§ MR. WYNDHAMAt the cost of the companies, of course, in order to increase their goods traffic.