§ Mr. WARDLEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the case of a van guard at Marylebone, employed by Messrs. Thompson, M'Kay, and Co., carters for the Great Central Railway Company, who is under 15 years of age, being employed for 15 hours and 45 minutes on 31st August last; whether he proposes to take any action in the matter; and whether he proposes to amend the Railway Hours Act, 1893, with a view to bringing boy labour under its scope?
§ Mr. WARDLEalso asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the case of a carman employed by Messrs. Thompson, 604 M'Kay, and Company, at Marylebone, who was on duty on 6th September for 16 hours 45 minutes, less meal times, on 7th September 16 hours, on 8th September 15 hours 30 minutes, on 0th September 13 hours, on 10th September 13 hours 45 minutes, and on 11th September 11 hours 30 minutes, a total of 86 hours 30 minutes for six days; whether he proposes to take any action in this case; and whether he will consider the advisability of including carmen in an amended Railway Hours Act?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Churchill)I will answer the hon. Gentleman's two questions together. The employés referred to appear from the question not to be in the service of a railway company, and I have no information with regard to their hours of work. As the hon. Member is aware, the operation of the Railway Regulation Act, 1893, is confined to railway employés, including boys, engaged in working the traffic on the lines of a railway company. As regards future legislation, I shall be happy to consider any suggestions which the hon. Member may make, but he will appreciate the difficulty of extending the Act to one particular class of carmen not in the employ of railway companies.