§ Major PRESCOTTasked the Secretary of State for War whether he consulted the Road Board or the Minister-designate of Ways and Communications in connection with his recent inquiry as to the necessity for further continuing the Joint Roads Committee; whether he will give the total number of members comprising this committee and say how many voted for its retention; whether he is aware of the objection on the part of highway authorities to a military organisation exercising a control over the public highways in times of peace; and whether he can see his way to disband it forthwith, in view of the urgency of economising in every possible direction?
Captain GUESTIt was not considered necessary to consult the Road Board, as the chairman of the Joint Roads Committee which recently considered the revision of the existing roads organisation is a member of that Board, and the acting manager of the Board is also a member of the committee, but I communicated my views as to the future arrangements to the Minister-designate. There are thirteen members, representative of the various interests concerned, serving on the Joint Roads Committee, which at its meeting on the 18th ultimo unanimously recommended the continuance of the present arrangements. I have no knowledge of any complaint on the part of the highway authorities in regard to the control exercised by the committee, which control, I may add, is purely temporary and limited. As to the last part of the question, as I have informed the hon. Member for Ladywood (Mr. N. Chamberlain), in reply to a question on the 1st instant, it would be undesirable to bring the committee to an end.