§ Viscount WOLMERasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will give the names of the gentlemen who have been appointed as Housing Commissioners, and their qualifications for the post?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am circulating a statement giving the information desired by the Noble Lord.
2559WThe following is the statement referred to:
The following Commissioners have already been appointed:
2560W2561W
Region. Area. Centre. Commissioner. 1 Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmorland and Durham Newcastle … Major F. J. Edge, R.E., M.Inst. C.E. Was city engineer of Newcastle-on-Tyne for four years, and was district engineer in the Public Works Department of Ceylon for four years. 2 Yorkshire (North, East and West Ridings) Leeds … Mr. T. R. Marr. Fourteen years on Manchester City Council. Chairman of housing sub-committee of the Manchester City Council since 1905. Chairman of public utility societies. 3 Lancashire and Cheshire Manchester … Brigadier-General G. Kyffin Taylor. Member of Liverpool City Council since June, 1904; chairman of the housing sub-committee of the council since 1907, and also served on dwellings sub-committee. Is a member of the education committee and the watch committee of the City of Liverpool, which have dealt with child life in relation to housing. Was director of national service for the North-Western Region. 4 Wales and Monmouth Cardiff … Arthur Lloyd Thomas, F.S.I. Practising architect and surveyor. Mr. Thomas is a Welsh-speaking Welshman. Resident at Pontypridd, and has had very large practise as architect, surveyor, arbitrator, and adviser to local authorities. He has been employed by thirty different local Welsh authorities and has represented them on arbitrations and before House of Commons Committees. He has had considerable experience in the housing problem. 5 Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Worcestenshire and Herefordshire Birmingham … Mr. Henry E. Farmer, F.R.I.B.A. Was resident architect at Henbury for the Ministry of Munitions. For past two years has been chief architect to the Admiralty Control Board, in which capacity he has had extensive experience in the design and construction of dwellings. 6 Parts of Holland, Kesteven and Lindsey (Lincolnshire), Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Nottingham … Major Douglas Wood, F.S.I., A.R.I B.A. Practising architect. He has had considerable experience in cottage design and construction. Carried out many large schemes and has also had a good general practice in other branches of housing, drainage, etc. During the War has had considerable experience, and been in charge of 10,000 men employed on general labour and constructional work.
Region. Area. Centre. Commissioner. 7 Gloucestershire, Dorsetshire, Somersetshire, Wiltshire, Devonshire and Cornwall Bristol … … Lieutenant-Colonel E. N. Mozley, R.E., D.S.O. Was professor of military engineering and building construction at the Royal Military College, Kingstown, Canada. Served on ordnance survey. During the War served in Gallipoli, Egypt, France, and Belgium, and acted as a commanding Royal Engineer of a division. 8 Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Sussex East, Sussex West, and Surrey and Kent so far as not in the Metropolitan Police district London … … Mr. W. R. Davidge, F.S.I., A.E.I.B.A., A.M. Inst. C.E. Is a member of council of Town Planning Institute, member of council and late chairman of executive of Garden Cities and Town Planning Association; district surveyor under London Building Acts. Visited Australia and New Zealand in connection with town planning and housing. Is examiner for R.I.B.A. and Surveyors' Institution. Is housing secretary of town planning committee of Royal Institute of British Architects. 10 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Northampton shire, Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and Hertfordshire so far as not in the Metropolitan Police district London … … Mr. F. M. Elgood, F.R.I.B.A., F.S.I. A well-known London architect. From 1904 to 1917 was a member of the Ruislip-Northwood Urban District Council, on which he served as chairman. Was also chairman of the town planning committee, which initiated the well-known Ruislip-Northwood Town Planning Scheme, 1914. 11 Cambridgeshire, Isle of Ely, Norfolk, Suffolk East, Suffolk West, and Essex, so far as not in the Metropolitan Police district London … … Major J. Wightman Douglas, D.S.O., F.S.L, M.S.A. Has had long experience as architect to large estate. For eleven years was lecturer on building construction at the Technical College, Newcastle-on-Tyne. The appointment to the other Region will be notified shortly.
§ Viscount WOLMERasked the President of the Local Government Board how many applications were received for the post of Housing Commissioners, the method by which candidates were selected, and whether political opinions were taken into account?
§ Dr. ADDISONOne hundred and sixteen applications have been received for the post of Housing Commissioners. After a selection had been made by a special committee, under the chairmanship of the Director-General of Housing, a considerable number of candidates were personally interviewed by this committee, who made2562W recommendations to me. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative. No inquiry was made and I have no knowledge of the political opinions of the persons appointed.