§ 32. Colonel IVOR PHILIPPSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the action of the Great. Eastern Railway Company in issuing tickets and dispatching passengers by train from Liverpool Street Station to various places in the Eastern Counties on the afternoon of Saturday, the 12th July, after it was known by the railway company that the line was blocked owing to a serious accident, on the railway at Colchester; whether he is aware that the railway company, while taking money from the passengers for their conveyance, omitted to inform them of the impossibility of carrying out their contract owing to the breakdown on the railway and omitted to make any arrangements for the supply of food, thus keeping many men, women, and children for many hours without food or water; whether he has any powers to prevent such conduct on the part of the railway company whereby passengers were treated worse than would be allowed in the case of cattle, sheep, and pigs; and whether he can make any representation to the rail-nay company or take any other action in the matter for the protection of the travelling public?
§ 37. Mr. BOWERMANasked the President of the Board of Trade if, as a result of an accident which occurred on the Great Eastern Railway on Saturday last., some thousands of excursionists returning from Clacton and other popular resorts did not reach the London terminus until about eleven o'clock on the Sunday morning; and if he will inquire of the directors of the company why no apparent effort was made by the company's officials either to expedite the passengers' return or to provide them with some kind of refreshment during their fourteen or fifteen hours' detention on the line?
Mr. ROBERTSONI understand that both lines at Colchester were blocked as a result of the accident and that traffic could only be worked through a siding. Considerable delays were in the circum- 1694 stances unavoidable, but the company inform me that several trains both up and down were diverted to other routes. The company further state that in accordance with their standing rules, their booking clerks informed intending passengers that an accident had taken place and that delay would arise on the journey. I pro pose to communicate further with the company on this point, and also with regard to the arrangements for supplying, passengers with food.
§ Mr. BOWERMANIs the right hon.. Gentleman aware that even the refreshment bars were closed to the passengers, and that amongst them were hundreds of young factory girls who were out for the firm's annual outing?
Mr. ROBERTSONAny further facts that the hon. Member can give me will be taken into account in communicating with the railway company.
§ Mr. BOWERMANWill the question be put to the directors how it was that they did not attempt to provide necessary refreshments for the people?