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Council lodged a petition against each of the Bills. The
Additional Electrical Power Supply (London) Bill was rejected
on second reading. The other Bills are under consideration.
(g) Unemployed Workmen Act, 1905.
Upon the introduction of the Unemployed (Workmen)
Bill, 1905, a conference of Metropolitan Borough Councils
was convened by the London County Council to consider the
proposals contained therein. The conference adopted a
series of resolutions objecting to some of the proposals of
the Bill, particularly with regard to the funds being provided
from local instead of national sources, and to its not being
made compulsory throughout the country. The Borough
Council concurred in the resolutions, and communicated with
the Prime Minister and the President of the Local Government
Board in support thereof. The Bill, however, with
some modifications, duly passed into law.
The Act provided for the establishment, by order of
the Local Government Board, of a Distress Committee of
the Council of every Metropolitan Borough in London,
consisting partly of members of the Borough Council and
partly of members of the Board of Guardians, and of
persons experienced in the relief of distress, of whom at
least one member should be a woman. Provision was also
made for the appointment of a Central Body for the whole
of the Administrative County of London, consisting partly
of members of, and selected by, the Distress Committees,
and of members of, and selected by, the London County
Council, and partly of persons co-opted to be additional
members of the body, and, if the order so provided, of
persons nominated by the Local Government Board.
The order for the establishment of the Distress
Committees and Central Body was issued by the Local
Government Board on the 20th September, 1905, and
provided, in the case of Hammersmith, for the appointment
by the Borough Council of a Distress Committee consisting
of 20 members, constituted as follows:—
Appointed by the Borough Council from their
own body 10
Appointed by the Borough Council and being
persons selected by the Board of
Guardians 6