Mr. Chamberlain (smiling pleasantly): “I will put my question in another form. Would you offer your employés a portion of the [profit so acquired?”]
Mr. Baines (bewildered): “Why should I?”
The Postmaster-General: “Let me [tackle him, father....”] (To Mr. Baines): “I take it all your men have a vote?”
Mr. Baines: “Yes, all except Ben Gailey, who did time for ghurling.”
“What is ghurling?”
Mr. Balfour (with great interest): “What is ghurling?”
The Postmaster-General (hurriedly): “That’s all right. Well, now, the question is this: if we give you £1 down for every ton of pig iron you shove on the market, and we make it a condition that you pay at least 5s. of it in extra wages, will you clinch?”
The witness, who was complimented by Lord Lansdowne on the manly and straightforward way in which he had given his evidence, then stood down.