§ MR. SAUNDERS (Newington, Walworth)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to prevent the overcrowding of workmen's trains on the existing lines of railway in and about the Metropolis; and whether Her Majesty's Government will be prepared to recommend this House to amend its Standing Order by adding to Standing Order 181A, which provides that all new Railway Bills shall contain provisions for rehousing of the working classes, a Standing Order that such Bills shall also contain provisions that, if there is not sufficient third-class accommodation on workmen's trains, holders of workmen's tickets may use any other 794 available carriages, that the Board of Trade may regulate the accommodation on such trains, and that a Company failing to comply with such regulations shall be liable to a fine of £50, recoverable summarily by the County Council?
§ * MR. MUNDELLAThe difficulty of overcrowding of workmen's and indeed of other trains on the lines of railway in and about the Metropolis is a physical one. The Companies do their best to meet the demands made on their accommodation, but find great impediments in the way of increasing that accommodation. If any specific case is brought under my notice I will look into it; but I have no legal or actual power to prevent overcrowding. I am not prepared to propose amendment of the Standing Order in the direction suggested by the hon. Member. I not unfrequently find at certain hours first-class carriages are overcrowded by Members of this House who prefer standing to waiting five minutes for a following train.