§ 35. Mr. WILESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether complete arrangements have now been made for the interchange of goods trucks between the railway companies so that the waste of power, time, and labour caused by sending trucks back empty to the various depots may be avoided and the congestion at so many junctions and stations relieved?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on Tuesday last to a similar question by the hon. Member for West Newington, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ 36. Mr. WILESasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will arrange that railway companies shall instruct all station masters to advise consignees of goods carried at station-to-station rates by telegram or telephone at once on receipt of the goods, instead of by post as at present, so that in many cases the accelerating of the unloading of the truck by at least twenty-four hours will result?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI am afraid that a general arrangement such as that suggested by my hon. Friend would not be practicable. In addition, for example, to the considerable expense involved, it would throw a good deal of extra work on the depleted staff of the Post Office and the railway companies.