§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYasked the President of the Board of Trade if the wages of the employés of the State railways of Germany and Switzerland have been raised considerably during the past ten years; and, if so, whether the State administrations have in any case raised the charges for carrying goods in order to meet the increased cost of wages?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)The wages of employés of State railways in both Germany and Switzerland have been increased during the past ten years. I am not aware that the charges for carrying goods have been increased.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYasked if the President of the Board of Trade's attention has been directed to the fact that, 574 in addition to adding £4,000,000 to their net profits in the five years ending 1910, the British railway companies made a further increase in net profits of £1,300,000 in the year 1911, although their paid-up capital increased by only £5,500,000 in 1911, and £1,000,000 of this £5,500,000 merely consisted of nominal additions; and whether, if the facts are as stated, he still proposes that Parliament should give powers to the railway companies to charge the public with the cost of raising railway wages above their present level?
§ Mr. BUXTONI have no reason to doubt that the facts are practically as stated in the first part of the question. As regards the last part of the question, I can only refer my hon. Friend to the reply on the subject which I gave to him on 1st May.