(c) crown copyright

Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/161 Image Reference:0056

j

COMMITTEE ON UNEMPLOYMENT .

,^356 (23) ; REPORT .

The Committee on Unemployment are of o p i n i o n

t h a t s e r i o u s unemployment must h e - a n t i c i p a t e d throughout t h e

coming w i n t e r and t h a t I t i s e s s e n t i a l t h a t arrangements be

made f a r ' t h e p r o v i s i o n of a s s i s t e d works on a s c a l e at l e a s t

as g r e a t as was t h e c a s e l a s t w i n t e r .

The f o l l o w i n g paragraphs g i v e an es t imate

o f t h e amount of such works which w i l l ba i n progres s under

a u t h o r i t y a l r e a d y o b t a i n e d .

(1) M i n i s t r y of T r a n s p o r t .

Work on t h e roads on Unemployment Schemes w i l l

he prov ided i n t h e course of t h e current f i n a n c i a l year f o r

an average number o f n e a r l y 2 7 , 0 0 0 men. An average number

of 4 , 8 0 0 o f t h e s e men w i l l be employed i n or near t h e b lack

spot a r e a s . I n d i r e c t l y a sum of over £ 2 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 w i l l i t I s

e s t i m a t e d a l s o be spent In wages but as t h i s cannot be

apport ioned between s k i l l e d and u n s k i l l e d labour t h e number

o f men employed cannot be s t a t e d .

The t o t a l c o s t of t h e s e works for the year w i l l be

approx imate ly £ 7 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 of which £ 4 , 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 w i l l be found

by t h e M i n i s t r y of T r a n s p o r t .

(Z) Unemployment Grants Committee **

I t i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t of the schemes f o r whioh

grants have a lready been promised works of a t o t a l va lue of

£850 ,000 w i l l bo c a r r i e d out I n t h e coming w i n t e r and w i l l

a f ford 3 3 , 0 0 0 man months of d i r e c t employment apart from

employment i n d i r e c t l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e p r o v i s i o n of m a t e r i a l s .

Approximately 1 2 , 0 0 0 of t h e s e man months w i l l be provided i n

or near t h e b lack spot a r e a s . m

The cos t t o the S t a t e o f . comple t ing t h e s e schemes

w i l l be under £400 ,000 spread over a per iod of 16 y e a r s .

(3) A c c e l e r a t i o n . . of programmes of Government Departments .

N i l . The works undertaken l a s t w i n t e r w i l l a l l be

completed b e f o r e t h i s w i n t e r i s r e a c h e d .

(4) A g r i c u l t u r a l Schemes ^and^ [5) F o r e s t r y .

N i l . . . Last Winter ' s schemes have been c o m p l e t e d .

(6) Trade F a c i l i t i e s .

According t o t h e r e t u r n s r e c e i v e d t h e number of meh

at present employed i s e s t i m a t e d a t 3 0 , 0 0 0 . This number

i t i s e s t i m a t e d w i l l i n c r e a s e g e n e r a l l y ( i n t h e absence o f

s p e c i a l reasons such as t r a d e d i s p u t e s t o t h e c o n t r a r y ) through

t h e w i n t e r , t h e maximum number t o be employed be ing p o s s i b l y

* Tho t o t a l c o s t to tho S t a t e of a l l t h e £ 3 0 , 0 0 3 , 0 0 0

worth of schemes h i t h e r t o approved i s as f o l l o w s

Annual Charges on Exchequer i n r e s p e c t of Loans sanct ioned , 1922 1923 1924 1928 1933

t o t o t o 1927 1932 1938

I

30 ,000 ,000 400,000j 950 ,000 1 , 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 1 , 0 7 0 , 0 0 0 . I 380 ,000

i ^ i

as h i g h a s 5 0 , 0 0 0 .

I n f a c t , and a l l o w i n g for i n d i r e c t employment,

i t i s e s t imated t h a t the number of men a c t u a l l y employed through- !

t h e scheme i s double t h e number r e t u r n e d .

Export. Or editjs .

The amount of o r e d l t s a l ready g i v e n es t imated t o

be i n o p e r a t i o n ^ i n t h e coming w i n t e r i3 £ 3 , 4 5 0 , 0 0 0 p r o v i d i n g

1 4 4 , 0 0 0 man months of employment apart from t r a n s p o r t , c l e r i c a l

l a b o u r , e t c .

The f o l l o w i n g paragraphs summarise t h e f u r t h e r

r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e under e x i s t i n g s a n c t i o n s ,

(2) The Unemployment Grants Commit t e e has a u t h o r i t y t o

expend a sum not exceeding £194 ,000 on grants on tho b a s i s of

60/o of t h e wages paid for works f i n a n c e d by l o o a l a u t h o r i t i e s

out of r e v e n u e ,

(6) Trade F a c i l i t i e s A c t .

The t o t a l v a l u e of t h e schemes guaranteed under t h e

Trade F a c i l i t i e s Act i s £26,000^000 l e a v i n g a margina l

a u t h o r i t y t o guarantee f u r t h e r . s c h e m e s amounting t o £ 2 4 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ,

The scheme e x p i r e s i n November, but t h e i n t e n t i o n

of the Government t o extend i t has a l r e a d y been announced.

(7 ) Export Credi t ai Sahems .

The t o t a l va lue of advances , g u a r a n t e e s and o&edits

s a n c t i o n e d under t h i s scheme i s approximate ly £ 1 4 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

l e a v i n g a marg ina l a u t h o r i t y t o guarantee f u r t h e r schemes

amounting t o £ 1 2 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 .

I t i s e s t imated tha t f u r t h e r c r e d i t s t o the va lue of

£ 7 5 0 , 0 0 0 w i l l be s a n c t i o n e d t o opera te i n t h e coming w i n t e r

a f f o r d i n g 2 8 , 0 0 0 man months of'employment apart from

t r a n s p o r t , c l e r i c a l workers , e t c .

The q u e s t i o n of a widening of t h e powers under t h i s

scheme i s r e c e i v i n g c o n s i d e r a t i o n .

The f o l l o w i n g proposa l s for new or extended schemes

for r e l i e f work have been under c o n s i d e r a t i o n .

Minis try of Transport .

Tho only scheme u n d e r a c t i v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n f o r

which no p r o v i s i o n I s made i n the e x i s t i n g Road Fund pro­

gramme i s t h e H a s go ^-Edinburgh road. Of t h i s t h e p o r t i o n

n e a r e s t Glasgow migh t be p u t I n hand t h i s w in ter a t a t o t a l

c o s t of somewhere i n the neighbourhood of a m i l l i o n f o r one

h a l f o f which Government a s s i s t a n c e would be r e q u i r e d . I f

l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s a r e , as i s now proposed, s t i m u l a t e d t o

forward new schemes f o r b l a c k s p o t areas to prov ide employ­

ment i n the winter months a c o n s i d e r a b l e number may be

submit ted , e s p e c i a l l y i f unemployment I n c r e a s e s . I t was

e s t i m a t e d t h a t Road Fund r e s o u r c e s were f u l l y pledged

under the l a s t programme and i t i s u n c e r t a i n what margin w i l l

bs a v a i l a b l e . Before t h e r e f o r e new commitments csn be

entered i n t o i t w i l l be n e c e s s a r y t o c o n s i d e r from what

sources a s s i s t a n c e w i l l be a v a i l a b l e and f o r t h i s purpose

t o r e v i e w the e x t e n t to Which the Road Fund can be fur ther

c o m m i t t e e .

2 . Unemployment Grants. Committee.

(a) ',?lth the s a n c t i o n of t h e Government c i r c u l a r l e t t e r s

have b e e n i s s u e d i n v i t i n g l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s t o submit proposa l s

f o r undertaking grant -a ided r e l i e f works t o be undertaken i n

the coining winter .

F u l l in format ion i a no t at p r e s e n t a v a i l a b l e , but i t

I s e s t imated that proposa l s f o r s u i t a b l e works t o a t o t a l value

of at l e a s t £ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 w i l l be submit ted . Works t o t h i s

va lue would g ive some 365 ,000 man months of employment from

October 1923 t o Apri l 1924 . The c o s t t o the S t a t e may be

e s t i m a t e d at £ 4 , 3 7 5 , 0 0 0 payable by way of annual charges as under

i Annual Charges on Exchequer i n r e s p e c t of

Loans s a n c t i o n e d i 192C-7 1934-5 1934-5 1925-6 ! t o t o

3 ^ 0 3 3 - 4 ] J - 9 3 J M R 1 £ 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 N.K. 150 ,000 2 7 5 , 0 0 0 2 4 0 , 0 0 0 102 ,000

£ 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 Re? . 8 5 , 0 0 0 135 ,000 125 ,000 6 0 , 0 0 0

T o t a l £235 ,000 410 ,000 365 ,000 162 ,000

For t h e pu rpose of t h i s e s t i m a t e i t h a s b e e n assumed t h a t

one h a l f of t h e schemes w i l l be non r e v e n u e p r o d u c i n g and one

h a l f r e v e n u e p r o d u c i n g . The Committee a r e , however , d e f i n i t e l y

of o p i n i o n t h a t t h e l a t t e r c l a s s of scheme s h o u l d bo e n c o u r a g e d

and a s s i s t e d t o t h e u t m o s t . T h i s c o u r s e w i l l have t h e

i n c i d e n t a l a d v a n t a g e of r e d u c i n g t h e c h a r g e f a l l i n g on t h e S t a t e ,

(b) I t i s d i f f i c u l t to e s t i m a t e t h e r e s u l t s of t h e

d e c i s i o n t h a t g r a n t s s h a l l be made a v a i l a b l e t o p r i v a t e

companies u n d e r t a k i n g t h e same d u t i e s a s l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s .

The a p p l i c a t i o n s may b e numerous or on t h a o t h e r hand may

c o n c e i v a b l y come t o v e r y l i t t l e . For t h e p r e s e n t p u r p o s e i t

i s assumed t h a t t h e a p p l i c a t i o n s w i l l c o v e r schemes e q u a l i n

amount t o t h o s e a n t i c i p a t e d from l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s and a sum

of £ 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 i s t h e r e f o r e t a k e n t o be t h e amount of schemes

t h e a s s i s t a n c e of which t h e S t a t e s h o u l d a t t h e p r e s e n t s t a g e

c o n t e m p l a t e .

The c o s t t o t h e S t a t e i s e s t i m a t e d a t £ 2 , 0 2 0 , 0 0 0 made

up as f o l l o w s

Annual cha rge on Exchequer .

Amount of Scheme 1924-5 1925-6

, 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 0 5 , 0 0 0 135 ,000

(c ) B e s i d e s t h e sum of £194 ,000 a l r e a d y a v a i l a b l e i t

i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t a f u r t h e r £100,000 w i l l be r e q u i r e d t o pay

g r a n t s on t h e 60% of" wages b a s i s f o r works c o n s t r u c t e d out o f

r evenue and n o t by loan . , A t o t a l of n e a r l y £ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 wor th

of work s h o u l d be a t t a i n e d by a i d o f t h e s e g r a n t s . No f u r t h e r

money w i l l be r e q u i r e d : b e f o r e n e x t y e a r and i n d e e d some of t h e

e x i s t i n g £194 ,000 may b e s u r r e n d e r e d and r e q u i r e t o be r e v o t o d .

(S) Aojc.elexation^of GoyeTOmont works. .

(a) O f f i c e of Works

A v e r y l a r g e amount of a c c e l e r a t i o n of m a i n t e n a n c e

work was u n d e r t a k e n l a s t w i n t e r , and t h e work t h a t c o u l d now

be a c c e l e r a t e d would m a i n l y i n v o l v e t h e employment of b u i l d i n g

t r a d e s o p e r a t i v e s . I n t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s no p r o p o s a l s a re

s u b m i t t e d .

(b) Pos t O f f i o e .

( i ) Trunk t e l ephone , c a b l e l a y i n g . Employment

cou ld be found f o r 25,-000 man m o n t h s , 80$ of t h e work t o be

comple t ed by 3 1 s t March, 1924 . E s t i m a t e d c o s t £ 5 8 8 , 0 0 0 ,

which can be p r o v i d e d unde r t h e b o r r o w i n g powers p o s s e s s e d by

t h e Pos t O f f i c e u n d e r t h e T e l e g r a p h Money A c t s .

( i i ) P o s t O f f i c e (London) Ra i lway Employment f o r

900 u n s k i l l e d men f o r 12 months c o u l d be found by t h e c o m p l e t i o n

of t h i s r a i l w a y , which would tend, t o r e d u c e t he c o n g e s t i o n of

s t r e e t t r a f f i c . A l a r g e amount of s k i l l e d work and

e x p e n d i t u r e on m a t e r i a l s ' w o u l d a l s o be i n v o l v e d .

E s t i m a t e d c o s t ­ say £ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 .

(c) War O f f i c e .

A Committee i s c o n s i d e r i n g p o s s i b i l i t i e s .

(d) A d m i r a l t y .

The Admira l ty i f a u t h o r i s e d c o u l d p l a c e o r d e r s i n

a n t i c i p a t i o n of r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r 1924-25 t o t he e x t e n t of

a p p r o x i m a t e l y £500*000 n e a r l y a l l of which would be s p e n t i n

Barrow and o t h e r b l a c k s p o t a r e a s ;

( e ) A i r M i n i s t r y

Are ' v p rocQeding as r a p i d l y as p o s s i b l e w i th works

a l r e a d y p r o v i d e d f o r b u t c a n n o t g i v e any p a r t i c u l a r s b e a r i n g

on t h e r e d u c t i o n of unemployment .

( f ) C o l o n i a l O f f i c e

The C o l o n i a l O f f i c e have s u b m i t t e d t o us sohemes

f o r t h e deve lopment of Nyasa land and Tangany ika , These

c o l o n i e s a r e g r a n t - a i d e d and a r e a t p r e s e n t a t any r a t e u n a b l e

t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e c o s t of t h e works . ' A l l of t hem.a r e

i n a p o s i t i o n i n which o r d e r s can be p l a c e d i m m e d i a t e l y .

j A f u r t h e r memormldurfi i s b e i n g p r e p a r e d as t o c e r t a i n

r a i l w a y e x t e n s i o n s , ' which i t i s hoped t o c i r c u l a t e as an

addendum t o t h i s r e p o r t . Meanwhile t h e . Conml11ee"^tto^ao2 ,

p r o p o s a l s ,

(a) t o c o n s t r u c t two s t e a m e r s f o r use on Lakes

- Nyasa and Tangany ika a t 'a c o s t of £ 3 5 , 0 0 0 a p i e c e .

(b) id u n d e r t a k e t h e e x t e n s i o n of t h e L i n d i

tramway a t a c o a t of £ 5 0 , 0 0 0 . The l a t t e r p r o p o s a l

i s s t r o n g l y s u p p o r t e d by t h e 'j&npire C o t t o n Growing

A s s o c i a t i o n .

The Committee u n d e r s t a n d t h a t f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e

t o t h e s e C o l o n i e s - s h o u l d t a k e : t h e form"of l o a n s f r e e of

i n t e r e s t , o r f r e e . . o f ; i n t e r e s t - f o r a t i m e , "and t h a t the d e t a i l s

of t h e l o a n s . c a n - b e - s e t t l e d be tween the T r e a s u r y and t h e

C o l o n i a l O f f i c e .

(g) S c o t t i s h O f f i c e

S c o t t i s h D e p a r t m e n t s c a n , i f a u t h o r i s e d , a n t i c i p a t e

works a s f o l l o w s : ­

P r i s o n Commission. C e n t r a l h e a t i n g a t t h e new

Edinburgh P r i s o n i n c l u d i n g 2 b o i l e r s and. i r o n p i p i n g . . . . £ 4 , 0 0 0

T h i s h e a t i n g would n o r m a l l y come on n e s t

y e a r ' s e s t i m a t e ,

C e n t r a l h e a t i n g a t B a r l i m i i e p r i s o n t o . r e p l a c e

worn out a p p a r a t u s . A d d i t i o n a l b o i l e r , and p i p i n g . . . . . . £ 3 , 0 0 0 .

(4) A g r i c u l t u r a l Works.

(a) The M i n i s t e r of A g r i c u l t u r e and F i s h e r i e s recommends

t h e a l l o c a t i o n t o h i s . d e p a r t m e n t of a sum of .£350,000 t o be

expended as f o l l o w s ; - £300,000 in . a s s i s t i n g land, d r a i n a g e

and w a t e r supp ly works ( s i m i l a r t o t h o s e a s s i s t e d l a s t w i n t e r )

i n E n g l a n d and Wales , and £ 5 0 , 0 0 0 i n p romot ing t h e c h a l k i n g

and l i m i n g of l a n d ( l a n d i m p r o v e m e n t ) . Of t h i s sum £240 ,000

would be r e q u i r e d i n t h e c u r r e n t f i n a n c i a l y e a r . The e s t i m a t e d

amount of employment t o be p r o v i d e d , b a s e d on l a s t y e a r ' s

f i g u r e s , i s e s t i m a t e d a t 52 ,000 man m o n t h s . I t i s e s t i m a t e d

t h a t £36,000 ' w i l l be r e c o v e r e d from t h e d r a i n a g e B o a r d s .

The sum expended l a s t w i n t e r on l a n d d r a i n a g e was

abou t £ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 .

(b) The S e c r e t a r y f o r S c o t l a n d recommends t h e

a l l o c a t i o n t o t h e Board of A g r i c u l t u r e f o r S c o t l a n d of a

sum of £ 6 3 , 0 0 0 t o be expended i n a s s i s t i n g works of -l a n d d r a i n a g e and improvement on the s ame l i n e s as l a s t

w i n t e r . I t i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t employmen t . fo r 5 ,000 men

would, be p r o v i d e d f o r an average p e r i o d of 3 m o n t h s .

amount i s t h e same as was a l l o c a t e d f o r t h i s pu rpose

w i n t e r .

The

l a s t

(5) F o r e s t r y .

The F o r e s t r y Commissioners p r o p o s e

- & ­

(a) an i n c r e a s e of t h e i r normal programme of p l a n t i n g

and p r e p a r a t i o n t o t h e e x t e n t of 24 ,000 man weeks . Cost

£ 3 8 , 5 0 0 .

(b) A scheme f o r t h e c l e a r a n c e of s c r u b a r e a s , 2 ,000

man weeks . These works s h o u l d be s e l f - s u p p o r t i n g and

a r r angemen t s c o u l d b e made f o r t h e c u t t i n g arid s a l e a t

d e p o t s i n l a r g e towns of t h e l i r e w o o d so c l e a r e d ;

(c) a d d i t i o n a l work i n Crown woods, 7 ,000 man weeks.

Cost £11,000. .

(d) Grant a ided a f f o r e s t a t i o n works of C o r p o r a t i o n s

and p r i v a t e i n d i v i d u a l s on t h e l i n e s a d o p t e d l a s t w i n t e r .

5 0 , 0 0 0 man weeks . Cos t £ 6 5 , 0 0 0 .

Tho c o s t t o t h e S t a t e of t h e s p e c i a l unemployment

work u n d e r t a k e n by t h e Commiss ioners l a s t w i n t e r was

£ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ,

The p r e c e d i n g p a r a g r a p h s may be summarised i n

t a b u l a r form a s f o l l o w s ­

3

s0rlcs a l r e a d y a u t h o r i s e d .

snort

C.

F a c i l i t i e s

on Cred i t s

Total

i!i

Man Months-y' i Oc tober t o : A p r 1 1 / 8 4 .

162 ,000*

33 ,000

240,0JO

144,000

479,000

* E s t i m a t e ba sed on t h e ave ragebe employed t h r o u g h o u t the

forks t h a t may. be a u t h o r i s e d unde r

i i iT1 ̂ m£8 , . ."Vi l

Ft Cred i t s

To ta l

Hew P r o p o s a l s .

(undertakings)

(60 g r a n t )

Transport

Office

'alty

Hal Off ice

'ish Off ice

ultur-e

Scot land

%al """***""

25,000

28 ,000

50 .000

Man' * Months,

365 ,000

180,000

17 ,000

20 ,000

52 ,000

15 ,000

20 ,750

Value of Scheme. :. Cost t o S t a t e ,

£ £ 7 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 4 , 3 0 0 , 0 0 0

850 ,000 400 ,000

3 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

number of men t o y e a r ,

e x i s t i n g s a n c t i o n s ,

Value of Scheme'.I TTost' to s t a t e ' .

600,000 194,, 000

Value bf Scheme

10 ,000 ,000

5,000 , 00 0

300 ,000

588 ,000

500,000

500 ,000

100,000

7 ,000

415 ,000

124,000

182,500

j 17 ,715 ,500

"Cost" f o " ' T Charge Charge S t a t e ; 1 9 2 3 - 4 . 1924-5

4 , 3 7 5 , 0 0 0 1235,000

2 , 0 2 0 , 0 0 0 I 85 ,000

100 ,000 100,000

588 ,000 Loan c h a r g e s

50.) ,000 Loan c h a r g e s

500 ,000 500,000

100,000

7 ,000

350 ,000

62 ,000

114,500

8 ,716,500

55,000 45 ,000 I

7 ,000

240,000 74 ,000

8,000 i 54 ,000

50 ,000 ) 64 ,500

BSC 000 $I S57,500f;

4- Only employment to be d i r e c t l y s e c u r e d i s i n c l u d e d i n t h i s column.,-a. c o n s i d e r a b l e amount of i n d i r e c t employment w i l l alsfp be o b t a i n e d .

i T r e a s u r y cover t o an advance no t e x c e e d i n g £750,000 f o r t h e Road Fund may a l s o be r e q u i r e d .

\ P l u s P o s t Of f i ce l o a n c h a r g e s .

S?-S-£PSF^iSS-Ef^PH^SPSjL t h a t s u b j e c t t o money

b e i n g a v a i l a b l e t h e whole of t h e s e new p r o p o s a l s be

adop ted by t h e C a b i n e t .

I n t h e e v e n t of t h e c o s t so e n t a i l e d b e i n g g r e a t e r

t h a n c a n be a d m i t t e d the^ Committee^ recommend t h a t t h e

p r o p o s a l s shou ld be c o n s i d e r e d xn t h o f o l l o w i n g o r d e r of

p r i o r i t y . .

Unemployment G r a n t s Commi t t ee .

A d m i r a l t y .

C o l o n ! a l O f f i c e .

P o s t O f f i c e .

A g r i c u l t u r a l Works .

F o r e s t r y .

S c o t t i s h O f f i c e (Advancement o f w o r k s ) .

The Committee^ f u r t h e r recommend t h a t i n view of

the- p o s s i b i l i t y - o f an e x t e n s i o n of unemployment i n t h e

coming winter:, even more s e r i o u s t h a n h a s up to. t h e p r e s e n t

been c o n t e m p l a t e d , t h e D e p a r t m e n t s s h o u l d be i n s t r u c t e d

t o p r e p a r e schemes f o r t he p r o v i s i o n of f u r t h e r a s s i s t e d

employment . I f f u r t h e r a c t i o n s h o u l d become n e c e s s a r y

i t w i l l b a e s s e n t i a l t h a t tho t ime o c c u p i e d i n t h e

c o n s i d e r a t i o n and a c t u a l i n i t i a t i o n of s u c h schemes shou ld

be m i n i m i z e d . '

( 1 ) The Committee have c o n s i d e r e d c e r t a i n o t h e r

p r o p o s a l s f o r t h e a c c e l e r a t i o n of works i n t h i s c o u n t r y i n

c o n n o c t i o n e s p e c i a l l y w i t h a l e t t e r r e c e i v e d by t he Prime

M i n i s t e r from t h e I n d u s t r i a l Group of members of the House

of Commons.

They obse rve t h a t i n s p i t e of t he p r e s s u r e b r o u g h t

t o bea r d u r i n g t h e p a s t two y e a r s b u t l i t t l e i s b e i n g done by.

the Ra i lway Companies i n t h e e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n and r e ­

c o n d i t i o n i n g of t h e R a i l w a y s , The n e c e s s a r y s t a t u t o r y

powers fo r e x t e n s i o n works of e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n a r e a l r e a d y i n

t h e p o s s e s s i o n of t he Companios .

I n view of t h e f i n a n c i a l p o s i t i o n of t h e Companies , .

and of t h e f a c t t h a t e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n works should. ­ a s s t a t e d by

t h e I n d u s t r i a l Group -be " ex t r eme ly r e m u n e r a t i v e 1 1 the Committee

a r e n o t a t t h e p r e s e n t s t a g e p r e p a r e d to recommend t h a t any

f i n a n c i a l inducement to p r o c e e d should be o f f e r e d by t h e S t a t e

t o t he Companies b u t t h e y recommend t h a t t h e Prime M i n i s t e r

shou ld confe r w i t h the Companies ' r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s and

endeavour t o induce them t o proceed. .

( 2 ) The Committee a r e i m p r e s s e d w i t h t h e impor t ance

from eve ry p o i n t of v iew of r a p i d and s u b s t a n t i a l e x t e n s i o n

of t h e I n d i a n r a i l w a y s y s t e m . They recommend t h a t t he

S e c r e t a r y of S t a t e should, be r e q u e s t e d t o supp lemen t t h e

t e l e g r a m a d d r e s s e d t o I n d i a , a s t o t h e Dominions on t h e

CRiestion of C o l o n i a l Development by a p r i v a t e t e l e g r a m to t h e

Vic e roy p o i n t i n g o u t t he u r g e n c y of t h e p l a c i n g as e a r l y as

p o s s i b l e of Large o r d e r s i n t h i s c o u n t r y .

( 3 ) The Committee u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h e p l a c i n g of

c o n t r a c t s f o r t he P o r t of London E x t e n s i o n i s b e i n g d e l a y e d \.

by a d i f f i c u l t y as to l a b o u r c o n d i t i o n s . A l though the

A u t h o r i t y has a l r e a d y p l e d g e d i t s e l f to a c c e p t t he c o n d i t i o n s

u s u a l l y a t t a c h e d t o works a s s i s t e d by the Unemployment G r a n t s

Conimittee (employment of o x - s e r v i c e men, employment of

l a b o u r l o c a l l y e t c ) some q u e s t i o n s a r e a p p a r e n t l y b e i n g m

r a i s e d by p o s s i b l e c o n t r a c t o r s and tho Committee have r e a s o n

t o suppose t h a t i n somo quarters the importa t ion of gangs o f

I r i s h labour for t h i e work i s i n contempla t ion ,

Tho Committee a t t a c h g r e a t importance t o the

engagement of local (London) labour for t h i s work. They

recommend t h a t c o n d i t i o n s s e c u r i n g the employment of a

proper p r o p o r t i o n of t h i s labour be i n s i s t e d upon, and

t h a t i f the need should a r i s o , i t should be d-efinif-oly

s t a t e d t o tha Authori ty t h a t the promiso of a s s i s t a n c e made

by the Government must be withdrawn i f there i s any

i m p o r t a t i o n t o London of I r i s h l a b o u r .

P h i l i p Lloyd Greamo... Chairman,

H.iff,.S i Franc i sC.W.G; Eady

) )

J o i n t S e c r e t a r i e s ,

27th J u l y , 1 9 2 3 .