BRITISH RAILWAYS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10486, 24 November 1911, Page 5

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

A CONFERENCE PROPOSED.

DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS.

(Received This Morning, 12.5 o'clock.)

LONDON, November 23. In the House of Commons, Mr Ramsay Macdonald, dn moving in favour of a railway conference, urged the necessity to avoid a crisis in December when the Government's intervention would be the means of taking sides. Mr Asquith said the Government would not accept the resolution unless tihe reflection on. the Companies was omitted. He thought, however, that once any suggestion of censure eliminated of the men accepted the report, as a basis of future relations with the Companies, the latter might, consistently with traditions and industriallife, and without impairing the Directors' self-respect, agree to a further strictly limited conference as the best means of carrying out the report. In that sense only would the Government invite a conference. He concluded by declaring that the Companies' liberality in increasing the wages showed their patriotic spirit and rebounding credit. Mr Bonar-Law replied that although he personally would be glad if the Government (had obtained the directors' assent in re-opening the negotiations its attempt at pressure upon the Companies through the Hon so of Commons treated the Company's unfairly. He added: that the Union's repudiation of the Commission was serious enough, but the Government taking sides was far more serious.

Ultimately after further criticism from the Opposition, side and steady objections from the Lalx>ur benches, Mr Lloyd-George's amendment, giving effect to Mr Asquitli's suggestion wns carried.