§ Sir T. COURTENAY WARNER (by private Notice)asked the Minister of 1634 Munitions whether he can make any statement as to the extent to which munitions requirements are responsible for the curtailment of the railway facilities of which public notice has been given?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe increased tonnage in munitions has necessarily thrown greatly added burdens upon transport facilities, both at home and abroad. After consultation with the President of the Board of Trade and the Railway Executive Committee, it has been decided, with a view to assisting in the rapid and effective provision of the requirements of the Director-General of Military Transport, to take from existing services certain locomotives, railway trucks and a proportion of non-essential lines. Some privately-owned trucks will be required and the owners are co-operating for this purpose. This necessitates a considerable curtailment of non-essential services, and the Government is satisfied that it can look confidently to the public cheerfully to put up with these restrictions. I should also like to add that our self-governing Dominions and India are rendering in this matter the most prompt and patriotic cooperation.