§ MR. W. WHITELAW (Perth)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the complaints made under the Railway Servants (Hours of Labour) Act by Scotch railway servants have been yet dealt with to the satisfaction of the Board of Trade?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BRYCE,) Aberdeen, S.The complaint as to the gatekeepers on a portion of the North British Railway has been satisfactorily settled, and the hours of labour of the men reduced. The Company has been ordered to submit a revised schedule of the hours of some of their drivers, but it has not yet been received. In the case of the Caledonian drivers and firemen, certain reductions have been obtained from the Company, but the Board of Trade are not yet satisfied, and communications are still in progress. Apart from the complaints which were made by railway servants, the Board have, in consequence of reports on accidents, made by their inspecting officers, called upon the North British and the Highland Companies for returns of the hours worked by some of their signalmen and drivers. The Highland Company have materially reduced the hours of their men, but the schedule is not yet finally approved by the Board of Trade.