Clause 1. — (Illegal Strikes.)

Part of Orders of the Day — Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Bill. – in the House of Commons at on 17 May 1927.

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Photo of Sir Douglas Hogg Sir Douglas Hogg , St Marylebone

It is always dangerous to answer questions without careful and full consideration, but I think the answer to the last question put to me is that it would be perfectly legal. If I may turn to the question put by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George), he prefaces his question by stating that it is quite clear now that every sympathetic strike is illegal. I cannot, of course, help the right hon. Gentleman saying that or thinking it, but it is the exact opposite of what I have said. He must not assume that because he makes that statement he is in any way representing what my view is or what I believe the position is. I think it is exactly the opposite of what he said. I come to answer his question whether or not, assuming a coal strike, and assuming coal is imported from abroad, to take the place of the coal not being produced here, it will be an illegal action if railwaymen say they will not handle foreign coal. In my belief, if they do that without this Bill they would at this moment be committing an illegal act, for the reason that the railway company is a common carrier whose legal duty it is by Statute and by Common Law to carry coal which is offered for carriage. Therefore, a refusal of their services to carry the coal they were bound to carry would in itself be a breach of their obligations as common carriers.