§ MR. CYRIL DODDI beg to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade whether legal proceedings have been commenced against the Great Eastern Railway Company by the Board of Trade in respect of the complaint made February 1894, as to the hours of labour of signalmen at certain boxes on the London to Ipswich line of that Company, or what has been done to determine whether the Board of Trade were justified in declaring the revised Schedule of hours sent in by the Company, under the recent Act, on the 4th May 1894, as still unsatisfactory in regard to the hours at certain boxes, and to enforce a reduction of the hours to those considered by the Board of Trade reasonable; and, if conciliation has failed, and if proceedings have been commenced, when it is probable a decision can be obtained?
§ MR. BRYCEThe Board of Trade has been anxious to bring about a settlement of this complaint without litigation, but their efforts have failed, and the Solicitor to the Board has been instructed to bring the case before the Railway Commissioners. Proceedings will be taken very shortly, but I cannot say when a decision may be expected.