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Trading Services (Manual Workers). Formerly these employees came under three
district or provincial councils, the findings of the London District Council operating
only at main drainage stations within the County of London, while the southern
outfall which is in Erith, came within the jurisdiction of the Provincial Council
for the Southern Home Counties Division and Abbey mills pumping station, which
is in West Ham, came within the jurisdiction of the Provincial Council for Essex,
Hertfordshire and Middlesex, which ceased to function in 1921. In the last mentioned
case the arrangements made by the late Provincial Council were maintained
voluntarily. The National Joint Industrial Council decided that the Southern
outfall and Abbey-mills pumping station should be included in the jurisdiction
of the London District Council, the Southern outfall with effect as and from 6th
September, 1923, and Abbey-mills pumping station with effect as and from 2nd
November, 1923. Workmen receiving more than the rate for their grade retain the
additional amounts, but their successors will receive the rates specified for the
respective grades.
New rates for officers and crews on weekly vessels on ordinary Board of Trade
Articles were made by the National Maritime Board to operate as from 16th April,
1923. The new rates were 10s. a week lower than the previous rates for officers
and 6s. 6d. a week lower for the various ratings in the crews. The Board was asked
to make similar reductions in the wages of the officers and crews of the sludge vessels.
The men were dealt with by the Thames District Maritime Board which reduced
their rates by 6s. 6d. a week for three months as from 10th May, 1923, to enable the
Council to consider the recommendation of the Board that the Council should follow
the National Maritime Board's decisions and procedure. The Council on 31st July,
1923, agreed to accept the rulings of the Board upon differences of opinion between
it and the crews relative to their rates and conditions of service, provided that
such matters as in the Council's opinion are matters of discipline shall be dealt with
by the Council without reference to the Board.
As regards the officers, the Board suggested that as it controlled no machinery
which could deal with a local problem of this nature, the matter should be dealt
with by direct negotiation between the Council and the officers. It was subsequently
agreed that the rates of pay of the officers, except masters, should, as from and
including 5th July, 1923, and until further order, be 5s. a week more than the rates
fixed by the National Maritime Board for similar ranks in the coasting trade. As
regards masters for whom the Board has not fixed rates the Council decided to
reduce their rates of pay by 5s. a week as from and including 5th July, 1923, and
to make such rates subject to adjustment from time to time in accordance with
any variation in the rate of pay of first mates.
Powers and
duties of the
Council.
CHAPTER XXVII.
HOUSING.
The powers of the Council in relation to the housing of the working classes
are derived from the Housing Acts, 1890 to 1923. Apart from administrative duties,
the main divisions of the work are (i.) the provision of new dwellings to meet the
need for additional accommodation, and (ii.) the improvement or reconstruction of
unhealthy areas, including the provision of dwellings for rehousing persons of the
working classes displaced.
Stateassisted
housing
scheme.
In conformity with section 1 (1) of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act,
1919, the Council in July, 1919, submitted for the approval of the Minister of Health
a scheme (see Annual Report for 1920, vol. III., p. 124) for the provision of workingclass
dwellings to meet the needs of London and for the improvement of housing