§ 65. Mr. ATKEYasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction amongst all classes of the commercial community with the inefficiency of the railway services of the country, and of the desire to see the railways restored to their owners and competitive conditions; and if he will state whether the negotiations with the railway workers' unions are known to and approved by the directors of the railway companies, or are of such a nature that they will not prejudice the return to those companies of their property when the temporary control assumed by the Government comes to an end?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am afraid I cannot altogether accept the accuracy of the suggestions made in the first part of the question.
The railways in all belligerent countries, including ours, are suffering from the failure to keep up their rolling stock during the War. The wagon supply is still deficient, although all wagon works are under full pressure doing their best to repair old and construct new wagons. But all this is due to the inevitable consequences of war, and it is unfair to attribute it to inefficiency on the railways or on the part of those controlling them.
1895 With regard to the second part of the question, the directors of the various railway companies are aware of the course of the negotiations with the men, and I do not think that these negotiations prejudice the question of the return of the property when the Government control ceases.