§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will obtain and lay upon the Table of the House, in similar form to Cd. 4695 of last June, copies or summaries of all working agreements now subsisting between railway companies, entered into without the sanction or authority of Parliament, other than those relating merely to the working of subsidiary lines, the exercise of running powers, or the user of joint stations?
Mr. BUXTONI fear it would not be practicable to attempt to collect particulars of such agreements, and in any case I must await the Report of the Departmental Committee on Railway Amalgamations and Agreements.
§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTalso asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will say, now that his attention has been called to the negotiations which are in progress between railway companies for the formation of working agreements on an extensive scale, whether the Report of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the question of railway amalgamations is likely to be presented shortly; and, if not, whether he will consider the desirability of taking steps to restrain railway companies from entering into agreements in restriction of competition until such Report has been presented and the opinion of the House has been taken on the subject?
Mr. BUXTONThe Committee were instructed to report as soon as practicable, and I understand that they will probably have finished taking evidence in a month's time.
§ Mr. REESWhat steps can the Board of Trade take in regard to railway companies' action in these matters?