§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)I beg to ask the First Lord of 374 the Treasury whether, in view of the very widespread public interest taken in the questions referred to the Royal Commission on Labour, the desirability of forming and educating public opinion upon them, and the impossibility of the evidence becoming generally useful unless published de die in diem as the Commission proceeds, he will advise Her Majesty to command that the sittings of the Commission be held with open doors?
§ MR. FENWICK (Northumberland, Wansbeck)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, having regard to the evidence given before the Lords' Committee last year, as to the extent of the evil of sweating in the cabinet making, upholstering, clothing, and boot and shoe trades, and the fact that there are 10 employers of labour on the Commission to seven Representatives of labour, he will advise Her Majesty to consider the advisability of adding additional names representing the industries concerned?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe Commission was constituted so as to secure, in the judgment of Her Majesty's Government, a full and complete consideration of all the important questions to be submitted to them. It is not contemplated that every trade and every grievance shall be represented, and it must be obvious to the hon. Member and to the House that if the Commission were largely increased, as it would have to be if the suggestion of the hon. Member were adopted, the probability of a satisfactory result from its deliberations would be considerably diminished. As to the question of the hon. Member for Camborne (Mr. Conybeare), I have to say that whether the Commission will sit with open doors or not depends entirely upon the discretion of the Commissioners themselves. The Government will not interfere, and it has not interfered with the full discretion of the Commissioners in such matters.