§ 67. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked what sums are now in the hands of the Development Commission; and how much of their expenditure since the War began is attributable to the War and the distress caused by it?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe actual amount standing to the credit of the Development Fund is £2,429,000. After allowing for obligations not attributable to the War, the amount available for new schemes is approximately £1,000,000. In the first few weeks of the War, the Development Commissioners recommended or agreed to recommend advances amounting to £188,000 for schemes which were taken up owing to the War, and were engaged in negotiations with the authorities concerned for the execution of various other schemes. Since, however, it appeared after a short time that the anticipations of unemployment among men would not be fulfilled, almost all these schemes have been dropped or held temporarily in abeyance.