§ Mr. HOLMESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will inquire into the dismissal of Messrs. J. Smithurst and C. Weighall by the Midland Railway Company; whether he is aware that Mr. Smithurst, whilst on duty as a shunter, in 1916, displaced a cartilage, and as a result of this injury has since been paid compensation by the company, and was placed in the position of number-taker at Barrow Hill and Staveley Works Station, and that Mr. Weighall joined the forces, obtained military honours, and was seriously wounded, and as his injuries prevented him from resuming his former occupation as station porter he too was appointed as a number-taker at the same station; whether the two men were recently ordered to add signal-lamp work to their duties, and on their pointing out that their physical injuries prevented them from climbing signal-ladders were dismissed from the service of the company; and whether, having regard to the fact that a mass meeting of railwaymen in the district has pledged itself to take action, he will lose no time in pursuing his inquiries?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANMy attention has already been called to this case, and inquiries are being made into it.