§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERasked the Minister of Transport whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the differential charges made for the transport of British produce, as compared with Continental produce imported into this country, as illustrated by the following comparisons of charges for the transport of bacon: from Copenhagen, via Hull or Goole, to Manchester, 54s. 11d. per ton; from Esbjerg, via Grimsby, to Manchester, 48s. 11d. per ton; from Elms-well, St. Edmondsbury, to Manchester, 50s. 6d. per ton; and from Tralee to Manchester, 72s. per ton?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZONI would remind the hon. Member that the Railway and Canal Commissioners have jurisdiction in regard to complaints as to undue preference by railway companies. Section 27 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888, provides that no railway company shall make, nor shall the Commissioners sanction, any difference in the charges for or in the treatment of home and foreign merchandise in respect of the same or similar services. I am informed that, so far as the British railways are concerned, there are no through rates in force from Copenhagen or Esbjerg to Manchester, and that any through rates quoted for the steamship companies via the Humber ports would be made up of their charges plus the railway rate from the port.