§ Mr. WARDLEasked whether the statement in the recent White Paper issued on railway hours, namely, that questions relating to the hours of labour of any class of employé engaged in the manipulation of traffic may now be dealt with by the conciliation boards set up under the agreement of 6th November,1907, and, failing settlement by such boards, may be referred to arbitration, is to be taken as having reference to cases in which excessive hours are worked and as superseding the proceedings under The Railway Hours Act, 1893?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, Sir. The statement in question does not imply, and was not meant to imply, that the procedure under the Act of 1893 has been in any way superseded or affected by the establishment of conciliation boards. I trust, however, that the mutual settlement of questions relating to general hours of labour will tend to reduce the number of cases in which it is necessary to have recourse to the Act.
§ Mr. WARDLEasked the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been called to the growing practice of calling men on duty on the Midland and other railways after nine hours' rest only, thus causing them to work regularly seven or eight shifts in one week; and whether, in view of the prejudicial effect this practice has upon the health of the men, he will take any action with the companies thereon?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy attention has not previously been called to this matter, but I have communicated with the Midland Railway Company, who inform me that they have not made any alteration in their arrangements for calling men on duty, and that the practice alluded to is not a growing one on their line.