§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now state what course he intends to pursue with regard to the Regulation of Railways Bill?
§ MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can yet state definitely the course he proposes to take in reference to the Regulation of Railways Bill; and, in the event of his final decision being unfavourable to the Measure, will he withdraw the Bill at such an hour as will afford honourable Members an opportunity of expressing their sense of the circumstances that have led to this abandonment?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI am afraid I must abandon the hope of proceeding with the Regulation of Railways Bill this Session, but a Royal Commission will be at once appointed to make inquiry into all cases of accidents, fatal or non-fatal, to servants of railway companies and truck owners, with the view to adopting means to reduce the number of such accidents. The inquiry will not only embrace such matters as are dealt with in the Bill, but the adoption of any other safety appliances.
§ MR. D. A. THOMASMay I ask whether the right honourable Gentleman did not, in his reply to Mr. Maddison, promise to endeavour to pass the Bill through a Second Reading and refer it to a Select Committee?
§ THE SPEAKEROrder, Order! That is raising a discussion on an answer given.
§ MR. BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)I should like to know whether the non-contentious clauses could not be passed?
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERY (Yorkshire, Shipley)Is it not a fact that according to the Return in the year 1898, 500 railway servants were killed?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ MR. D. A. THOMASI beg to ask whether the action of the Government is not an attempt to burke this question in the House?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That is a complaint which cannot be made in this House.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYWill the reference to the Royal Commission include all classes of accidents to railway servants, not to shunters only?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEIt will. At one time I had hoped to embody the so called non-contentious clauses in the Bill, but I have received so many indications that some of these clauses are contentious, and, having regard to the time at the disposal of the House, it will not be possible to pass it. As there is to be a Royal Commission, I believe it will not be disagreeable to have these clauses, as well as others, referred to.