§ MR. KETTLE (Tyrone, E.)To ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether the Great Northern Railway Company give secret rebates and free cartage which are not shown on the rate-books of the company, to certain traders in Cookstown, county Tyrone, and other stations; and, if so, will he cause inquiries to be made and steps taken to put a stop to a practice which gives the traders in question an unjust preference over other traders in Cookstown and elsewhere.
§ (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) Complaint has been made to the Board of Trade that secret rebates are given by the railway company on certain traffic at Cookstown, and that some goods are carted free of charge. The railway company deny that this is the case, and as the complainants do not wish their names to appear in the matter the Board have not been able to carry it further. The statements made to the Board have, however, been forwarded to the Vice-regal Commission on Irish Railways, by whom the matter is now being considered.