21 JANUARY 1922, Page 3

The general effect of the eight-hour day, as applied on

a national basis without any regard to local conditions, has been well illustrated in the evidence given by the Scottish railway managers before the National Wages Board during the past week. The Caledonian Railway had to increase the permanent way staff by half. Thirteen signal-boxes, which cost £1,426 in wages in 1913, now cost £6,448 in wages. One signalman was actually at work for two hours sixteen minutes, on the average, in his eight-hour day. At many stations an extra porter had to be engaged, though the actual work .done took only four or five hours out of the eight.