§ 3. Mr. LYNCHasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the frequent recurrence of trouble between the railway companies and their workers, the rates of wages paid, and the hours of work endured, taken together with the diminishing dividends paid to railway shareholders and the increasing freight rates charged to the public, having regard to the fact that the Royal Commission appointed in 1914 failed to perform the function allotted to it and suddenly suspended its sittings on the 25th June. 1914, and having regard to the fact that bonus wages now being paid to railway workers out of Government funds amount to the sum of £25,000,000 per annum, he will arrange for a judicial inquiry into railway administration, to be held without any limiting terms of reference and at which all witnesses are to be examined and cross-examined on oath, and at which full discovery of all documents is to be made, and all claimants to a hearing may be heard?
Sir A. STANLEYI cannot accept the arguments in the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question as conveying a correct impression of the position. The answer to the latter portion of the question is in the negative.