§ 70. Mr. LEWIS HASLAMasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the serious congestion of goods traffic at Newport (Mon.), occurring especially during recent months; whether he is aware of the heavy financial and business losses incurred by traders owing to the delay in the transport and delivery of goods, sometimes several weeks intervening between consignment and delivery; if his attention has been called to the fact that, in order to obtain delivery of goods, traders have to send goods in relatively smaller packages by passenger train, thus involving heavy increased expenditure in 1155 freightage and labour; whether he will cause inquiries to be made with the view of improving the present methods of working in connection with the transport and delivery of goods, with a special reference to the changed conditions incidental to the introduction of shorter working hours; and will he consider the desirability of introducing the two-shift system and the avoidance of overtime working?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am aware that considerable inconvenience has been caused by the congestion of traffic that has occurred at ports. The Departments and authorities concerned are taking all possible steps with a view to bringing about an improvement in the situation.