HC Deb 10 February 1899 vol 66 cc675-6
MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the recent letter issued by the Directors of the Waterford, Limerick, and Western Railway Company to their employees in the railway workshops at Limerick, charging the employees with a breach of discipline in taking part with other citizens in opposing the amalgamation of the Waterford, Limerick, and Western Railway Company with the Great Southern and Western Railway Company, and threatening them with serious consequences if their action be repeated; and whether the Board of Trade can in any way interfere to stop such attempts on the part of the railway directors to prevent the exercise by their employees of their rights as citizens in opposing Private Bills before Parliament?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

No, Sir, the Board of Trade cannot interfere in this matter. I think the proceedings of the employees were ill-advised, but I hope the consequences anticipated by the honourable Gentleman will not follow.

MR. J. REDMOND

As the right honourable Gentleman has given his opinion about the acts of the employees will he say whether he does not think that the act of the directors in threatening these men with penalties if they opposed a Bill before Parliament was not also ill-advised?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

I think for employees of a railway company to meet and state that they are going to oppose a Bill brought in by the railway company is a course not likely to lead to the efficiency of railway administration, and I think the railway directors were quite justified in expressing their opinion upon such a proceeding.

MR. J. REDMOND

Were they justified in threatening to dismiss men if they opposed a Bill before Parliament?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

I think any man would be perfectly justified in oposing a Bill in his private capacity, but I think the directors were quite justified—I do not know exactly what the directors said to the men—but I think they were quite justified in expressing their disapprobation "of such proceedings as are referred to in the Question of the honourable Gentleman.

MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)

Are we to understand that the Board of Trade are in favour of intimidating the workmen?

MR. P. O'BRIEN

I wish to ask, was it action to be taken by the men in their private or in some other capacity that was complained of by the directors?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

I have no knowledge other than that conveyed in the Question. I have already expressed the views I hold on that.