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ROAD CONVEYANCE OF PASSENGERS AND GOODS BY RAILWAY COM- PANTES.

(Previous

Reference: Cabinet 8 (28), Con- (usion 1.)

The Committee, instead of amanding

Me

•

9.The Cabinet had before them a Memorandum

by the Minister of Transport (Paper C.P.-221 (28))

on the subject of the Railway (Road Transport)

Bills, which, with the exception of that promoted

by the Metropolitan Railway Company, of which Bill

the preamble was not found to be proved, have now

been reported with considerable amendments by the

Joint Committee and are to be considered by the

House of Commons on Thursday evening. July 12th.

The points to which the Minister of Transport

desired to draw attention may be summarised as

follows:

**

(1) In regard to the insertion in the Bill, by the Committee, of provi- sions giving protection to the statutory tramway, trolley vehicle and omnibus undertakings of local authorities against competition by Railway Companies' road vehicles within the boundaries of such local suthorities, but not to local author- ities in respect of their undertakings situated outside their boundaries, nor to the statutory undertakings of Companies, the Minister of Transport proposed to advise the House that the carefully considered decision of the Joint Committee should be adhered to.

(ii) In regard to the decision of the

Committee that, in view of the special position in London, no powers should be given to the Railway Companies to run road services for passengers within the area of the London County Council, the Minister did not propose to resist an amendment which would have the effect of substituting the Metropolitan Police District and the City of London for the area of the London County Council if at the same time the Railway Companies are relieved of the restriction which the Committee'a

decision imposes on running long-distance services.

(111)he-Minister drew attention to the

the Clauses of the set that the Committee Instead of Bil to which he had drawn this special attration in his Report

amcnding one of the Clauses of the Biii 80 be kad suggested in his Repert on the Bills to the Committee, had inserted a new Clause enabling the Minister of Transport, if et any time he is or opinion that the interests of the public are prejudicially affected

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