§ MR. HUDSON (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the long hours worked by the gate 304 signalmen at the St. George's Road and Hawthorne Avenue Level Crossings, Hull, on the North Eastern Railway; if he is aware that these men commence duty at 9.45 a.m. on Sundays, and remain on duty until 6 a.m. on Mondays, a period of twenty hours and fifteen minutes, and then do five turns of twelve-hour shifts and one of thirteen hours on night duty, making a total of ninety-three hours and fifteen minutes for the week on the main passenger line; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE, Carnarvon Boroughs)I have communicated with the railway company on the subject of the hon. Member's Question, and am informed that the authorised daily hours of work of the men in question, who are stated to be gatemen and not signalmen, are twelve, with a day off duty once a fortnight. The company state, however, that they found on inquiry that the men, for their own convenience and without the knowledge and consent of the responsible officials, had introduced the system of working to which attention is drawn, and instructions have now been given that the authorised arrangements-must be strictly observed in future.
§ In reply to a further Question by Mr. HUDSON,
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEsaid he understood the arrangement was made by the men without the knowledge of the company, who gave instructions it should not be adhered to directly it was brought to their notice.