THE SCOTCH RAILWAY STRIKE.
[To TILE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR." ] SIR,—It is to be hoped that when Parliament reassembles within the next fortnight, some noble Lord may see his way to take up the mantle of the late Earl of Shaftes- bury, and to bring forward a measure for defining (and shortening undue) hours of labour on railways. A measure of this kind has greater chance of passing into law, as well as of being thoroughly ventilated, if it commences in the Upper Chamber, than in the Lower House.
The present Factories Act enacts fifty-four hours of labour per week. The new Railway Labour Act had better legislate for sixty hours a week than for ten hours a day. But it should enact also that in no day between the two midnights should the hours exceed twelve. Any hours beyond sixty a week to be paid for at the rate of time and a quarter, and all Sunday work at time and a half. Of course there are many more clauses in such an Act needful to meet various circum- stances and contingencies of all sorts.
The preSent system of work expected from the staff of the North British Railway Company's employes has been for many mouths quite appalling ; and what those who have not struck are apparently now expected to do, seems to be simply likely to kill the men from exhaustion. The station-masters in Fife seem by the public newspapers to have just received orders to be on the qui vise night and day, in case of trains of all sorts passing through their stations at any moment. These hard-working and not very highly paid station-agents have not struck. All honour to their patient forbearance. The engine-drivers, firemen, and the many others who have struck, have done wrongly in throwing up their work. But they allege that if any of them appeal against their overwork to the superintendent of his department, he is not fairly met, but finds himself, a few days after, out of the service of the North British Railway. Hence they mistrust " Walker and Wieland, `non' Bona ferentes." Mr. Boyd Kinnear has with ability exposed the fallacies of the 317 rules of one-sided agreement forced on the employes of the North British Rail- way. The Board of Trade should be called upon to revise and approve a mutual code of conditions on the railway service.—I am, Sir, &C., GEORGE WALDEGRAVE-LESLIE.
Leslie, 21T.B., January .14th.
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