§ 74. Mr. GINNELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can explain the irregularity of service whereby, while some eggs railed in Ireland on the 6th were delivered in Manchester on the 8th instant, other eggs railed on the 3rd at Kilmallock, Tralee, Ballinasloe, Castlerea, and Arva for Manchester were not then delivered; and, having regard to the value of food, the rapidity with which eggs deteriorate, and the loss caused by delay, 1077 whether the service will be improved and compensation paid for loss arising from delay?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. G. Roberts)I am not aware of the circumstances which may have affected the transit in the instances referred to by the hon. Gentleman, but, as he will be aware, some delays to traffic are inevitable under present conditions. If, however, he will furnish me with particulars of cases in which serious delay has occurred, I will look into the matter.
§ 79. Mr. LARDNERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the counties of Armagh and Cavan inconvenience is experienced by reason of the difficulty of obtaining deliveries of foodstuffs from ports such as Newry owing to the shortage of wagons and: railway trucks at the ports; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this condition of affairs and to enable a speedy delivery of foodstuffs and agricultural requirements to consignees in the counties of Armagh and Cavan?
§ 80. Mr. MOONEYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that on several occasions recently it has been found impossible to forward goods by rail from the port of Newry owing to the shortage of wagons, and that recently this condition of affairs has become acute; and whether his Department will communicate with the Executive Committee of Railways in Ireland with a view to the arranging of a pooling of wagons, on the same system as is carried out in England, with a view to transferring wagons to whatever railway centre they are required without regard to the ownership of the wagons?
§ Mr. ROBERTSThe Board of Trade are already in communication with the Irish Railway Executive Committee in regard to the difficulties which have arisen in connection with the supply of wagons and the steps which should be taken for dealing with the matter.
§ Mr. LARDNERIs it not a rather pitiable thing when people are short of foodstuffs in the inland portions of Ireland that supplies should be lying at ports and not transferred to the centre of the country, by reason of improper organisation of wagons and railway trucks at stations?
§ Mr. ROBERTSI am aware of the difficulty which exists. Part of it is unavoidable. I will see that every conceivable step is taken to remedy the matter.
§ Mr. LARDNERIs it intended to force the pooling of wagons in Ireland the same as has been adopted in England?
§ Mr. ROBERTSI can only say that is one of the questions under consideration.