asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will explain the purpose of Order No. 463 of 1943, which came into force on 24th day of March, 1943, to be known as The Railways (Carriage Paid) (Amendment) Direction, 1943?

Under the Railways (Carriage Paid) Direction, 1942, traffic was required, as from 1st January, 1943, to be consigned "carriage paid." The purpose of the direction was to reduce clerical and accounting work and thus to effect economies in railway staff. Temporary exemption was given in the direction to certain traffics, including cattle, sheep and pigs, in the hope that ways and means could be found of overcoming difficulties in applying the "carriage paid" rule to them. On further examination, the difficulties in the case of cattle, sheep and pigs were found to be so exceptional that it was decided to exempt them permanently. This is the main purpose of the Railways (Carriage Paid) (Amendment) Direction, 1943. This direction also extends the exemption for seed potatoes conveyed by rail to 30th April, 1943. This obviates the necessity for a change-over in procedure just before the end of the seed-potato season.