§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the hardships sometimes suffered by farmers by the non-delivery to them by a railway company of the approximate quantity of manure or other goods alleged to have been delivered to the company, he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to substitute for the usual consignment note a bill of lading for land, as well as for sea, carriage, which besides being quasi-negotiable would be in the hands of the consignee a document of title and impose upon the carrier the obligation to deliver the goods in accordance with the particulars contained in the bill and to the amount described therein?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe conditions of carriage by rail and carriage by sea are very different, and my right hon. Friend is not sure of the expediency of adopting the system of bills of lading in respect of traffic conveyed by land; more especially does it seem doubtful whether negotiable bills of lading are desirable in case of traffic by rail.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the hon. Gentleman aware such bills of lading are in use in many countries on the Continent?