MR. C. MACVEIGH (Donegal, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the excessive hours and under-manning of the Donegal Railway, managed by the Joint Committee of the Midland and Great Northern Railway Companies, whose servants are working under no properly graded system, some in uniform and some not at the intermediate stations, and from the station master to the miles man doing all and sundry work often up to fourteen hours per day; and whether, seeing that this want of system and consequent 1568 want of responsibility expose the travelling public to risk of accident, he will take steps to bring about such change in the working of this line as will give more confidence and comfort to all those who travel by it.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEThe Board of Trade have been in communication with the Joint Committee on several occasions with regard to the hours of their employees, and certain improvements have been effected. The matter will be kept in view. The other points to which the hon. Member refers are questions primarily for the consideration of the Joint Committee, but I shall be happy to consider any specific cases submitted to me in which the safety of the public appears to be involved.