224 RAILWAY RATES AND CONDITIONS 



ment, at the same time unanimously passing a resolution 

 welcoming the Bill and according full support to the second 

 reading, but expressing the hope that in Committee the 

 clause empowering the companies to give undue preference 

 to foreign produce would be omitted. A whip was sent out 

 in support of the second reading, and that stage was passed 

 without a division. Sir Richard Paget then put down motions 

 to give effect to the requirements of the Chambers, and pre- 

 parations were made to oppose strongly the preference clause. 

 Owing to the defeat of the Government, however, the Bill was 

 not proceeded with. 



1887. 



This year the Bill was introduced in the House of Lords, 

 on llth March, and on 6th April the Council submitted a 

 statement to the Government showing in detail their objec- 

 tions to certain proposals of the measure, and declaring their 

 resolve to offer the most strenuous opposition to the sub- 

 section dealing with undue preference. They also suggested 

 that the duty of requiring railway companies to carry out 

 the provisions of their various Acts should be undertaken by 

 some Government Department. The Bill passed the Lords, 

 where every effort to introduce amendments was unsuccess- 

 ful. A further report was therefore adopted by the Council 

 and sent to the Government. This expressed regret that not 

 only had their suggestions been ignored, but that changes 

 had been made largely in favour of the companies. Sir 

 R. Paget (on behalf of the Chambers of Agriculture) and Sir 

 Bernhard Samuelson (on behalf of the Chambers of Com- 

 merce) gave notice of the necessary amendments, and every 

 possible step was taken to secure the fullest support to them. 

 Such strong opposition to the measure became manifest 

 that the Government withdrew their Bill. 



1888. 



The Bill was re-introduced in the Lords, and obtained a 

 second reading in the Commons on 10th May. The Earl of 

 Jersey, who was Chairman of the Chamber this year, succeeded 



