§ MR. JOWETT (Bradford, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that among the goods guards employed by the Midland Railway Company at Bradford there occurred, from 10th September last to 8th October last, sixty-four cases of men working periods varying from sixty to sixty-five hours per week to eighty-five to ninety hours per week, and that on 15th September last three local goods guards were dismissed; and will he say what action he has taken, or proposes to take, under the Railways Regulation Act, 1893, to deal with these cases.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. CHURCHILL,) DundeeIn connection with the dismissal of certain goods guards on the Midland Railway my attention was drawn by my hon. friend the Member for Derby to the overtime worked by other goods guards at various places on the railway in September. On inquiry I ascertained that the whole matter was under consideration by the Conciliation Boards, established under the agreement of last November, I am glad to learn that on the 6th instant the Central Conciliation Board on the Midland Railway came to a settlement upon all outstanding questions relating to goods guards, and in view of this settlement no further action on the part of the Board of Trade would seem to be necessary.
§ MR. CLYNES (Manchester, N.E.)Cannot the right hon. Gentleman get 111 further information regarding the excessive hours of duty?
§ MR. CHURCHILLsaid the matter had been discussed fully, and a satisfactory settlement arrived at, and he had not, therefore, thought it necessary to go into special details.