View report page

180
Various other alterations of the existing Acts are proposed by the
Bill with a view to lessening the cost of, and of facilitating in other ways
the exercise by, local authorities of their housing functions. In particular,
an amendment is proposed of the compensation sections of the Act
of 1890 which aims at carrying the principles of these sections—at present
often nugatory—into effect.
Moveable Dwellings (H.L.).
A Bill intituled an Act to provide for the Regulation of Moveable
Dwellings.
Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act (1909) Amendment Bill.
A Bill to amend the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909.
Cheap Trains Bill.
The purpose of this Bill is to remove some of the difficulties experienced
in London and other large towns in housing the working classes,
by making provision for an ample service of trains for workmen, so as
to provide a cheaper means of communication between the central
stations and the outer suburbs.
" The Cheap Trains Act of 1883, 46 & 47 Vict. c. 34, by means of
which a bargain was struck between the nation and the railway companies,
requires all companies to provide proper and sufficient workmen's trains
for workmen going to and returning from their work, at such fares and
such times between six p.m. and eight a.m. as may appear to the Board
of Trade to be reasonable."
There has been no general legislation on this subject since 1883,
when the Cheap Trains Act was passed, whereby the passenger duty was
lemitted on all fares not exceeding the rate of one penny a mile, and a
reduction from five to two per cent, of the duty on first and second class
fares in certified urban districts, on condition that all railway companies
should provide sufficient workmen's trains for workmen going to and
returning from their work, at such fares and such times between six p.m.
and eight a.m as may appear to the Board of Trade to be reasonable.
The object of this Bill is to provide for a sufficient service of cheap
trains, and to fix for passengers by all workmen's trains arriving at the
various stations up to eight a.m. a maximum return fare between any
central station and the outer suburbs up to 20 miles. The Royal Commission
on the Housing of the Working Classes strongly urged the need
for cheap workmen's trains to run up to eight o'clock in the morning.