Sir Eric Geddes in the House of Commons on Thursday
week defended the new Ministry of Transport against the critics who complained that it was unnecessary and extravagant. He had accidentally discovered and cancelled an agreement made by Mr. Runciman in 1915 with the District Railway which would have cost the State a million this year. The Ministry was overwhelmed with work in examining the claims made by the railway companies under their war agreements, and with urgent questions. The State must supervise the railways, to see that Om charges and facilities were reasonable, that the workmen were treated fairly, and that the shareholders had proper security. The Cabinet had deoided against nationalization, as likely to be costly, inefficient and corrupt. Sir Eric Geddes was about to explain what the Government proposed to do when he was stopped by a technical objection by Captain Berm, which the Deputy Speaker was reluctantly compelled to uphold.
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