EXTRA EDITION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 11 August 1921, Page 7

EXTRA EDITION

BRITISH RAILWAYS

THE DECONTROL BILL

3DISCJJSSION IN THE COMMONS.

;BY CABLE—PEESS* ASSOCIATIOH^OPYEIfiHT ; LONDON, Aug. 9. /. $In the House of Commons, Mr jßarnes moved an amendment to the "Railway Decontrol Bill, assuring rail*raymen of seven seats on the direc■torate of each" group of companies. He aaid that joint control of /industry would do'more than anything else to .lessen disputes. The present proposal would give workers an inside knowledge and a keener, feeling of responsibility. Mr Thomas, in opposing the amend:ment, said that1 amity between the 'companies and the men would not be -achieved by imposing conditions ©n the -companies which they had previously -rejected. If the companies welcomed .Mr Barnes 1 innovation, the workmen would jump at it. In the agreed upon ; scheme, which was already working, ithere was every opportunity for deal2ing with all- disputes. If the workers were ■mistaken in agreeing to'/, that . scheme they were responsible. /Lord Robert Cecil supported theamendment. ' - , I

Sir Eric Geddes, replying, agreed . with the principle underlying the proposal, but pointed out that no railway - . board would, accept it, believing the -■fcime was not yet ripe for such a step. Lord Mildmay and Major Hills, both . directors, said that all', companies regarded the present working scheme as . satisfactory,; and intended to work it smoothly. ,/.-•' # Mr Barnes, welcoming these declarations, withdrew his amendment. Mr Flannery opposed the third reading. He said he regretted that no pro-- \ vision had been made for the election of workmen'directors, of whom he had . :20 years' satisfactory experience. '

The Bill was read a third time,