§ MR. DU CROS (Hastings)To ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is aware that in December, 1903, memorials were submitted to the Board from the Corporation of Hastings, and nearly 4,000 inhabitants of Hastings and St. Leonards, with reference to the disadvantage under which the borough was placed owing to the inadequate railway facilities provided by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Managing Committee, in respect of the inferiority in regard to permanent way, station accommodation, quick and punctual service of trains, and general traffic arrangements and the highness of fares; that it was not until the 24th August, 1906, that the Corporation received any definite reply from the Board. and that, in the result, matters practically remain in statu quo; whether it is usual for such delay to take place in dealing with similar memorials to the Board, and for the Board's representations to be practically ignored by railway authorities; and, if so, whether he will take steps with a view of ob viating such delay in the Departme in the future, and of strengthening the position of the Board in relation to the failure by railway authorities to provide adequate railway facilities.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) I regret the long delay which has taken 1195 place in this matter. For this delay the Board of Trade are in no way responsible. I am informed that the Managing Committee of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway felt unable to deal with all the points raised in the memorials until they had carried out such alterations in the permanent way in the Bopeep Tunnel as would enable them safely to resume double-line working in that tunnel. This resumption took place on 1st June last and thus met one of the three points on which the memorialists laid stress. I am sorry if in other respects the memorialists are not satisfied, but I may remind the hon. Member that, as the memorialists were informed when their representations were originally made, the Board of Trade have no statutory power to require railway companies to improve railway facilities, and that the only body which has this power is the Railway and Canal Commission to which the memorialists, if they are still dissatisfied, have access.