§ Mr. MARSHALL STEVENSasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the cartage of general merchandise traffic by the railway companies at below cost is entailing a loss of many millions of pounds per annum to the State; if he will state the total loss to the railway companies during any recent period in performing the service of cartage; and, if no actual or approximate figures are available for any recent period, how much per ton it is costing all or any of the railway companies at the present time to cart general merchandise traffic in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, and New-castle-on-Tyne?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANNo doubt many railway rates which cover the service of cartage are, in present circumstances, un-remunerative in respect of that service, but I cannot say that the same consideration applies generally to cartage by the railways where it is charged for separately. I regret that I cannot give the figures asked for in the question.