§ 88. Mr. ROWLANDSasked whether he has given permission to the Commissioner of Police to license boys of sixteen years of age to assist conductors on tramcars; whether men have been employed by the London County Council in the past to do this work; and, if so, whether he can state the reason for the change?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe London County Council represented to the Commissioner that the employment of lads to assist the conductors of tramcars might conduce to the safety of the passengers, and on his recommendation I have authorised him to issue licences to lads over sixteen to act as assistant conductors on Metropolitan stage-carriages. The arrangement will first be tried experimentally on one or two routes, and extended to others if found successful. These assistants will be additional to the existing staff; they will, I am informed, in no case displace either the regular conductors or those additional conductors now employed to collect fares during hours when trams are crowded.
§ Mr. ROWLANDSIf the boys are employed, is it necessary to license them at all, and do they act as conductors; is it not a fact that the London County Council are employing men to do this extra work?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe latter part of my answer will explain that these lads are employed as assistant conductors over and above the conductors now employed by the London County Council.
§ Mr. ROWLANDSIs it not a fact that men are being employed for that auxiliary work instead of boys; because they are not licensed they cannot act as conductors?
§ Mr. McKENNAI cannot agree with my hon. Friend's interpretation.