§ Mr. HUDSONasked the President of the Board of Trade, whether his department has decided to withdraw from the position taken up by all parties concerned in the railway agreement of 19th August, 1911, and as embodied in the terms of reference to the Royal Commission appointed respecting all railway companies, including Irish railways, covered by the agreement of 6th November, 1907; and whether the Irish companies are equally bound to accept the findings of the said Royal Commission?
Mr. BUXTONThe Irish railway companies were not represented at the conferences which resulted in the settlement of the 19th August, or in the agreement of the 11th December, and they did not undertake to accept the recommendations of the Royal Commission. I should have been glad if the Irish companies had seen their way to adopt the new scheme of conciliation, but in all the circumstances I cannot regard them as being under a binding obligation to do so.