§ MR. BROADHURSTasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether he will use his influence with the Metropolitan Railway Companies to induce them to extend the times for issuing workmen's cheap weekly third-class tickets from 7 o'clock a.m., as is now the rule, until 9 o'clock a.m.; and, whether he will use his influence with the Railway Companies to induce them to issue weekly season tickets, as well as quarterly and yearly season tickets?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINI am afraid my hon. Friend overrates the influence he supposes me to have with the Metropolitan Railway Companies; but oven if it was as great as he imagines, I am not certain that I could use it in order to secure the particular measures to which he calls attention, and to which there are some very considerable practical objections. I may add, however, that, in accordance with a promise I gave last Session, I have received a Report on the whole subject of the workmen's trains; and as soon as I have had time to consider this Report I propose to lay it on the Table.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSasked whether the right hon. Gentleman's attention had been called to the Railway Bills brought in this Session; and whether he would take care that proper facilities for the working classes were put into those Bills if they interfered with and pulled down workmen's houses in London?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINThe right hon. Gentleman knows I have no power to secure that. All I can do is to call the attention of the Committees to the subject. I propose to have the Bills carefully examined with that view.