§ 70 and 71. Mr. RAPERasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he is aware of the fact that, in order to obtain an impartial and satisfactory inquiry into Mr. Gattie's goods clearinghouse scheme, it will be necessary for Mr. Gattie to be allowed to call as witnesses railway company managers; whether he will be given facilities to call these witnesses and for the same to be examined by counsel; (2) whether, in view of the great national importance of and the public interest in the inquiry to be held into Mr. Gattie's goods clearing-house scheme, he will arrange that the inquiry shall be held with open doors; and whether, in view of the fact that Mr. Gattie's proposals would specially affect the trade and commerce of this country, he will consider the addition to the Committee of some representative business men?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANMatters relating to the selection of witnesses and procedure will be decided by the Committee. With regard to publicity and to the proposed addition to the Committee of representatives of commerce and industry, I have nothing to add to my replies to previous questions by the hon. Member.
§ Major NALLIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the North-Eastern Railway Company asked Mr. Gattie to inspect their Hull Station and report on the possibility of installing his system there, and that Mr. Gattie reported that it would be necessary to clear away the existing station, thereby involving a capital outlay which the North-Eastern Railway could not undertake?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have heard some report of the kind, but I am not quite sure if it is accurate.