BRITISH RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17221, 11 August 1921, Page 7

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

THE DE-CONTROL BILL. (By Cable—Press A*aooial«m—CffpyrtgiM.) 1 (Austimliaii and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, August 9. In the House of Commons, Mr G. N. Barnes (Labour, Glasgow) moved an amendment to the Railway Decontrol Bill, assuring railwaymen\J seven seats on the directorate of each group of companies. He said that joint control of the industry would do more than anything else to lessen disputes. The present proposal would.give workers inside knowledge, and a keener feeling of responsibility. Mr J. H. Thomas (Labour, Derby), general boo! etary of the National Union of Ra'lwaymen, in opposing the amendment, said that amity between the companies and the men was not to be achieved by imposing conditions on the companies whioh they had previously rejected. If the companies welcomed Mr Barnes's innovation, the workmen would jump at it. In the agreed scheme which was already, working, there was every opportunity for dealing with all disputes. If the workers were mistaken in agreeing to that scheme, they were responsible.

' Lord Robert Cecil supported' the amendment.

Sir Erio Geddes, Minister of Trans--port, in replying, agreed with the principal underlying the proposal, but pointed out that no railway guard would accept it, believing the time was not yet ripe for such a step. Mr F. B. Mildmay (Co.-TJnionist, Totnes) and Major J. W. EKIIb <Co.TJnibnist, Durhak), who are both railway• directors, said all the railway companies regarded the present working scheme as satisfactory, and intended to work it smoothly. Mr Barnes, welcoming these declarations, withdrew his-amendment. Sir J. F. Flannery (00.-Unionist, Maldon), who opposed the third reading, said he resetted no provision had been made for the election of workmen directors, of whom,he had had twenty years' Bat sfactory experience. The Bill was read a third time. BEDITOTIONS XST WAGES. LONDON, August 9. The unions concerned conferred with the railway managers, and accepted reductions in railway workshops, wages for skilled artisans amounting to 6s a week, and coinciding with the second cut under the engineers' agreement, A hundred thousand men are affected, i