§ 44. Mr. ROWNTREEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Attorney-General has advised that it is almost impossible that a light railway constructed and run by a group of private individuals can be constructed and run otherwise than as a commercial, that is a profit-making, concern, with the result that no association of persons or company formed to construct and work a light railway would in practice be found to satisfy the condition of not trading for profit within the meaning of Section 1 (1) of the Development and Roads Improvement Funds Act, 1909; and, if so, whether seeing such opinion renders the Act entirely inoperative as regards the construction of light railways by voluntary effort with State aid, he will say what course under these circumstances the Government propose to adopt?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Montagu)The Development Commission have experienced difficulties owing to the legal 631 interpretation which we are advised must be placed on the Statute referred to, and the whole question is receiving the careful attention of the Government.
§ 61. Mr. ROWNTREEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any light railway has been constructed under the provisions of the Development and Roads Improvement Funds Act; and, if so, what is the mileage of such railway?
Mr. ROBERTSONNo advance has been made under the Development and Roads Improvement Funds Act, 1909, towards the cost of construction of a light railway.