Mr. WILLIAM ARCHER REDMONDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make representations to the British and Irish railway companies that the effect of their new regulations, which apply only to goods consigned from one part of the United Kingdom to another, is to give an undue preference to foreign produce imported into these countries, to the disadvantage of the home producer; if he will represent to the British and Irish railway companies the justice and necessity of securing that, in the matter of transit regulations, the home producer should be placed on at least terms of equality with his foreign competitor; and, should these representations fail, what steps, if any, he intends taking in the matter?
Mr. BUXTONThe regulations appear to apply both to import and to export traffic, except when conveyed direct between truck and ship. I will ask the railway companies for their observations on the point which my hon. Friend raises, but he will understand that the Board of Trade have no jurisdiction to determine a question of alleged undue preference, which is a matter for the Courts.
Mr. WILLIAM ARCHER REDMONDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department is in possession of or has means of ascertaining information from the railway companies in respect of the freightage upon goods between various places within the United Kingdom and from foreign countries into Great Britain and Ireland; and, if so, whether he will state the freight charges upon butter and eggs from Ireland and Denmark, respectively, into London and the other principal distributing centres in Great Britain?
Mr. BUXTONI have already informed my hon. Friend that I have not the information he desires. The through rates from places in Ireland to places in Great Britain can be ascertained by reference832W to the rate books at the sending stations. If through rates by sea and rail from places in Denmark to places in Great Britain are quoted by the railway companies, and my hon. Friend will furnish me with a list of the rates of which he desires particulars, I will endeavour to obtain them for him, but it must be borne in mind that traffic from Denmark for London and some other distributing centres may pass entirely by sea.
Mr. WILLIAM ARCHER REDMONDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the new regulations adopted by the British and Irish railway companies regarding the consignment of butter and eggs will substantially increase the freight charges on these articles and thereby affect the producers and consumers throughout the United Kingdom; whether he will ascertain what other object the railway companies have in view in departing from the custom in vogue for the last forty years except to raise the rates; and what reason they give for not adhering to a system which has worked so well for so many years?
Mr. BUXTONIf my hon. Friend can supply me with particulars showing precisely in what way the new regulations will, in his opinion, involve an increase of charges, I shall be glad to consider them. I understand that the chief object of the regulations is to avoid the difficulty of tracing the consignees of unaddressed traffic which goes astray and generally to facilitate the transit and delivery of the goods.