§ Mr. STANTONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the discontent of the inhabitants of Cwmaman, Aberdare, South Wales, caused through the Great Western Railway Company refusing to grant proper and reasonable motor service to and from Aberdare; if he is aware that if only two men more were employed by the railway company the service could be readjusted and the people's convenience be met; whether he is aware that the Aberdare Trades Council, the Chamber of Trade, the Miners' Federation, and other societies are demanding the attention of his Department to the unreasonable action of the railway company concerned, and that the miners threaten to strike unless something is done in the matter, and that the output of coal is threatened; and if he will, therefore, give this matter his attention?
Sir A. STANLEYI regret that the withdrawal of the motor service referred to should lead to local inconvenience, but, as I have previously informed the hon. Gentleman, I do not think that I should be justified in asking the railway company to restore the service under present conditions.
§ Mr. FIELDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Brighton express train is provided with Pullman sleeping and luncheon cars; and whether, in view of the increased haulage and decreased passenger accommodation, if the company has not already discontinued these luxuries, he will take measures to prevent their continuance?
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Sir A. STANLEYThe question whether it is necessary and desirable in any particular case to discontinue Pullman car services on railways can, I think, be best determined by the railway company concerned after taking into consideration the local conditions. I will, however, bring the hon. Gentleman's suggestion to the notice of the Brighton Company.
§ Mr. JOYCEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that inconvenience is caused to numbers of people, many of them women and young children, by the manner in which they are treated on the arrival of the mail steamers at Holyhead from Ireland owing to the train arrangements between there and London; that numbers of soldiers, many of them with their wives and families, and also numbers of civilian passengers, men, women, and children, are kept in Holyhead for more than two hours after arrival there before the train leaves for London, and that consequently the train that should arrive in London some time about midnight, when the tube and underground trains are running, does not get in until somewhere about 3 a.m. in the morning, thus causing inconvenience to all those passengers; whether these inconveniences are due to some action taken by the Board of Trade through the committee of general managers or otherwise; and, if not, whether the Board of Trade will call the attention of the railway company to the present grave inconveniences?
§ Mr. FARRELLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the sanction of his Department, through the committee of general managers or otherwise, has been obtained by the London and North-Western Railway Company for their present train service to and from Ireland; whether he is aware that passengers from Ireland are landed at Holyhead at 5.30 p.m. and detained for 2½ hours on the platform before starting for London, which is not reached till 3 a.m., when no conveniences exist for travellers getting to hotels and even the waiting-rooms at Euston Station are closed; and will he call the attention of the railway company to the present inconvenience?
Sir A. STANLEYI have asked the London and North-Western Railway Company to consult the postal authorities with806W a view to making arrangements, if possible, for the arrival of the mail train in London before midnight.