HC Deb 14 December 1916 vol 88 cc841-3
81. Mr. BYRNE

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the employés of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company of Ireland have handed in notices to cease work this week if their demands to be treated the same as employés on English railways are not conceded; if he will say what steps the Government propose to take to meet the men's demands for a war bonus the same as is paid by the Government to all English railway employés; and if he is aware that all the employés on Irish railways are contemplating a stoppage of work if their demand is not granted?

Mr. ROBERTS

The President of the Board of Trade wrote to the hon. Gentleman on this matter on the 12th instant, and I am afraid that for the present I cannot add to his letter.

Mr. BYRNE

Will the hon. Gentleman give an answer to the question before the men cease work? They cease work next Monday, and this is the last sitting of the House before then.

HON. MEMBERS

To-morrow!

Mr. ROBERTS

I think, having regard to the fact that negotiations are at a very important stage at the moment, it would be undesirable to make any statement.

The following question stood in the name of Mr. REDMOND:

115. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken by the Departments concerned to deal with the crisis which has arisen with regard to the Irish railways; and whether the Government are now prepared to take over these railways on the same terms as the English railways were taken over, and provide a war bonus for the Irish railwaymen on the same basis as has been done for the English railway-men?

Mr. REDMOND

I understand that this matter is being investigated at the present moment, and that negotiations are now going on. In those circumstances I would not like to ask this question unless the right hon. Gentleman thinks that there is something which he can safely say.

Mr. BONAR LAW

No. As has been stated, negotiations are now going on, and I think that it might do harm to say anything at present.

Private Notice of the following question had been given by Mr. MAURICE HEALY: To ask the Under-Secretary for the Board of Trade what steps the Board of Trade have taken or propose to take to avert the strike on the Great Southern Railway of Ireland, the locomotive men on that railway having handed in strike notices to take effect on Monday next?

Mr, MAURICE HEALY

Having regard to the attitude which has already been taken by the Board of Trade on the question of the threatened strike on the Great Southern and Western Railway, I do not ask the question of which I have given private notice.