§ Mr. SUTTON (for Mr. Clynes)asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is aware of cases of men who, having their names on the register of Labour 356 Exchanges and after obtaining employment by their own endeavour, have had to apply to charitable bodies for railway fares to reach their situation; and whether the Labour Exchange regulations can provide the necessary assistance in such cases where men can produce satisfactory written promise of work?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)Under Section 2 of the Labour Exchanges Act the power of making advances is limited to cases of workpeople proceeding to employment which has been found for them through a Labour Exchange. It would not, therefore be possible to make regulations for advances of travelling expenses in such cases as those to which I understand my hon. Friend to refer; that is to say, cases in which the employment is not found through the Labour Exchange,
§ Sir CHARLES HUNTERasked whether W. J. Burbidge, a man with a wife and four children, employed by the Bath unemployed workmen committee in their bureau since 1st April, 1909, and afterwards employed by the Government Labour Bureau authorities at Bath at the salary of £70, was dismissed from his post without any reason being assigned for his dismissal, and a young man, unmarried, named L. Calloway, from Bristol, having no local knowledge, was given the post at the higher salary of £85; and if, since the dismissal of Mr. W. J. Burbidge, the average number of men found work has fallen from 128 to 44 per month?
§ Mr. BUXTONMr. Burbridge's employment was a registration clerk in the Bath Exchange. His engagement was subject to the condition that it might be terminated at any time by a month's notice on either side without cause assigned. As a matter of fact he was not dismissed, but was given an opportunity of resigning his post, and his resignation took effect on 31st January. His successor, who is a native of Bath, was transferred from the Bristol Exchange at his existing salary. The figures quoted in the question are not correct. Exclusive of temporary post office employment the number of persons placed in situations through the Bath Exchange and its extensions has risen from fifty-five in January to sixty-nine in February.