§ Mr. HUDSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can say why his Department has requested the railwaymen of the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland) to sign petitions asking the company to allow their representations to be considered, after both the company and the men have formed their conciliation boards and mutually agreed upon rules of procedure?
Mr. TENNANTA difference arose on this railway as to the proper method in which applications for changes in the rates of wages or hours of labour should be put forward, and the point is one not covered by the rules of procedure agreed upon. On an English railway on which the same difficulty arose a solution was found in the company agreeing to accept as sufficient an application from a reasonable number of men of the class affected, and this was suggested in the present instance. The company appears to be prepared to accept this suggestion, but I understand that the men have not yet come to a decision.
§ Mr. HUDSONIs it not a fact that these men have been prepared to carry out not only the spirit but the letter of the agreement of 6th November, 1907? Why is it that at the request of the company the Board of Trade has requested them to go further than the agreement?
Mr. TENNANTI am afraid I cannot answer that, but I should have thought what I have already said would very nearly answer the greater portion of the hon. Member's question.
§ Mr. HUDSONasked whether the Great Southern and Western Railway Company (Ireland) have complied with all the conditions laid down in the agreement of 6th November, 1907; whether the men have fully complied with the said conditions; and why the company refuse to allow the conciliation boards set up to operate?
Mr. TENNANTI understand that the difficulty in connection with the conciliation boards on this railway is that indicated in the question which the hon. Member asked on the 18th ultimo, and, as I stated in reply to that question, a suggestion was made to meet the point at issue. I am in communication with the parties in the matter, and I will consider carefully how the difficulty can be met.
§ Mr. HUDSONIs not this another matter where the Board of Trade have requested the men to sign a petition and ask the company to operate the conciliation 1149 scheme which they have already agreed to?
§ Mr. HUDSONIs it not enough that the men should be willing to comply with the conditions laid down, and is it not a fact that the company are really setting up these objections in order to delay and irritate the men?