§ MR. BAUMANN (Camberwell, Peckham)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, as a Select Committee is to be appointed to inquire into the question of restricting by law the hours of railway servants, he will send the Labour Correspondent of the Board of Trade, or some other competent person, to the United States to inquire into the working of the various laws which have been passed by the State Legislature to restrict the hours of adult male labour, and to report thereon to this House?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.)No, Sir; I do not think that it would be advisable to adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member with regard to Mr. Burnett. His time is very fully occupied with important matters in this country. I have already requested the Foreign Office to obtain information with regard to the various laws and regulations of foreign countries respecting the hours of labour of railway servants, and this information will, I hope, be received in time to be laid before the Committee.