§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Mr. James Graham, of the Greenock Labour Exchange, has been in the West Highlands securing the service of young Highlanders for local shipyards; whether, in the course of his tour he visited Tobermory, Tiree, Islay, Jura, and other places; by whose authority he undertook the recruiting; and under what Subsection of the Labour Exchanges Act is he authorised to spend money for such a purpose?
Mr. BUXTONThere are at present no branch offices of Labour Exchanges in the West Highlands, and, consequently, an officer of the Greenock Labour Exchange has visited various places in this district with a view to registering applicants desirous of obtaining employment in connection with vacancies which have been notified. The travelling expenses of officers engaged on official duty form a normal part of the expenditure authorised under the Labour Exchanges Act.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that for those yards for which these men were obtained, other men were being dismissed every week?
Mr. BUXTONNo; I have not heard that. I understand that there was a great demand for men at the Labour Exchange, and in view of this the Exchange sent an officer into the West Highlands.
§ Mr. SNOWDENDid the Labour Exchange at Greenock communicate with other Labour Exchanges to see if they had a surplus of labour there?