§ Mr. BILLINGasked the Prime Minister if he has received a Report as to the 1753W progress and recommendations, if any, of the War Contingents of the Dominions Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether the perpetuation of this Committee is proposed?
§ Mr. LONGThe Dominions War Contingents Committee was appointed when oversea troops first began to arrive in this country in 1914, to act as a link between the Government and the various Dominion War Contingent Associations. Only one or two meetings of the full Committee were held, as it was found that the work could be done more conveniently by the chairman of the Committee, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, or by some of the individual members. No meeting of the Committee has been held during the last six months, nor has any change been made in its personnel except in the case of the chairman—Mr. Hewins having succeeded Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in September, 1917. The total expenses of the Committee up to date amount to £15 3s. 3d.
§ Mr. BILLINGasked the Prime Minister if he has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Coal Exports Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes. printing, posting, and stationery; and whether the perpetuation of this Committee is proposed?
§ Lord R. CECILThis Committee was appointed 'by the President of the Board of Trade in April, 1915, to consider and advise as to all questions relating to the export of coal, coke, and manufactured fuel, and its chief function is to advise the War Trade Department as to the issue of licences for the export of those commodities. There has been no change in the personnel during the last six months. The Committee is an honorary one, and sits every day (except Sundays) in rooms which form part of the War Trade Department,1754W which also provides for the printing, postage, and stationery; and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to separate the very small cost of the Committee from the general inclusive cost of the War Trade Department. There is no proposal that the Committee should be perpetual.
§ Mr. BILLINGasked the Prime Minister if he has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Central Wool Advisory Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether the perpetuation of this Committee is proposed?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The Central Wool Advisory Committee has held two sittings during the last six months. No changes have been made in the personnel. There has been no expense incurred in respect of salaries, rent, rates, taxes, or printing: the cost of postage and stationery is defrayed by the Department, and cannot be computed separately. It is not proposed to dissolve this Committee.
§ Mr. BILLINGasked the Prime Minister (1) if lie has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the. Prevention and Relief of Distress Committee; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in tile personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether the perpetuation of this Committee is proposed; and (2) if he has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Professional Classes Sub-committee of the Committee on the Prevention and Relief of Distress; how many sittings this Sub-committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Sub-committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Sub-committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether the perpetuation of this Sub-committee is proposed?
1755W
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERThe Government Committee on the Prevention and Relief of Distress was appointed in August, 1914, to advise on the measures necessary to deal with any distress that might arise in consequence of the War, and it continues to perform this function. No changes in its personnel have been made during the last six months. The work of the Committee is carried on in the Local Government Board; no salaries are paid; and the cost of stationery and printing forms part of the general expenses of the Local Government Board. The Professional Classes Sub-committee is a Sub-committee of the Government Committee, and beyond the small amount of stationery and typewriting required no cost is involved apart from the cost of the parent Committee. It is proposed to continue both the Committee and the Sub-committee.
§ Mr. BILLINGasked the Prime Minister if he has received a Report as to the progress and recommendations, if any, of the Committee on Production; how many sittings this Committee has held within the last six months; whether any changes have been made in the personnel of this Committee during this period; what is the annual cost to the State of this Committee, including salaries, rent, rates, taxes, printing, posting, and stationery; and whether the perpetuation of this Committee is proposed?
§ Mr. G. ROBERTSI have been asked to answer this question. The Committee on Production is the principal statutory arbitration tribunal established under the Munitions of War Acts to decide differences between employers and employed in regard to wages and conditions of employment on munitions work. The Committee sits daily, and during the past six months it has issued awards in upwards of 600 disputes. The members of the Committee have recently been appointed to be the Special Arbitration Tribunal to deal with questions arising out of the Orders granting a bonus to certain munition workers, and a large number of cases connected with this matter have been referred to the Committee during the past few weeks. The Committee, as originally constituted, consisted of Sir George Askwith (Chairman), Sir Francis Hopwood, and Sir George Gibb. At the end of last year Sir David Harrel relinquished the duties of Chairman of the Committee. It now consists of Sir George Gibb (Chairman), Mr.1756W W. W. Mackenzie, K.C. (Chairman of Panels), Mr. F. S. Button, Colonel John M. Denny, C.B., Mr. J. Duncan Elliot, Mr. James Fullerton, Mr. William Moses, Mr. George J. Rowe, and Mr. John W. WHITE. The etimated annual cost of the-Committee (salaries, travelling expenses, shorthand writing, etc.) is about £13,000. It is not practicable to state separately the cost of postage, stationery, etc.