§ 5. Mr. LINDSAYasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to a proposal of the Railway Executive Committee that in future all goods train consignments shall be forwarded carriage paid; if he is aware that in many trades prices are quoted on the basis of carriage forward, that the adoption of the proposal would mean that articles would have to be re-costed, and that the prices of various standard goods have been fixed on the basis of carriage forward by the public Departments concerned; and, seeing that, if taken as a whole, the adoption of the proposals would cause dislocation to business without any adequate compensating advantage, will he give an assurance that the contemplated step will not be taken?
Sir A. STANLEYI am informed that the Railway Executive Committee have asked the chambers of commerce to appoint representatives to discuss the question of the charges for the conveyance of traffic being paid by the consignor, and that a meeting will probably take place shortly.
§ General McCALMONTThen the matter is still under discussion?