§ 10. Mr. TILLETTasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the present serious shortage of railway trucks, and of the fact that such shortage results in the holding up of ships, the blocking of the ports, the unemployment of labour, and delay in carrying through all schemes of reconstruction, what steps are being taken to increase without delay the available supply of railway trucks?
§ Sir A. GEDDESThe Board of Trade and the Railway Executive Committee are fully alive to the importance of doing everything possible to increase the supply of railway trucks, and the railway companies are building wagons as fast as they can, and have placed various orders with outside manufacturers and at Woolwich.
§ Mr. TILLETTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in one dock alone 200 men were discharged, and on Saturday 300, for want of trucks?
§ Sir A. GEDDESI did not know the precise facts to which the hon. Member refers, but I know the truck position is extremely serious.