Mr. KENNEDY JONESasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the loss sustained on the working of the railways under Government control in 1917 and 1918 respectively; and to what main causes and to what extent such loss is to be attributed?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANOwing mainly to the fact that an enormous amount of Government traffic has been carried without charge no precise figures can be given showing the results of the working of the railways. So far as has been ascertained no loss to the State resulted from the 787W Government control in 1917, but the cost of labour and materials has increased very considerably since that year.