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had in view. Subsequently the Chair was taken by the Minister of Health, the
Right Hon. Arthur Greenwood, P.O., M.P.
The views of the Local Authorities were put before the Conference by the
following:—
The Lord Mayor of Sheffield (Association of Municipal Corporations); Mr. F.
H. Berryman (County Council's Association); Sir William Ray (London County
Council); The Lord Provost of Edinburgh (Convention of the Royal Burghs of
Scotland); Lord Lovat (Association of County Councils in Scotland); Mr. G.
Parker Morris (Hon. Clerk to the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee);
Mr. J. A. Cowley (Urban District Councils' Association); Sir Seymour
Williams (Rural District Councils' Association); Lord Elgin (Fife County Council);
Sir James Hinchcliffe (West Riding County Council); and the following members
of the Government subsequently addressed the Conference: Miss Bondfield P.C.,
M.P. (Minister of Labour); Mr. Herbert Morrison, M.P. (Minister of Transport);
Mr. A. Greenwood, P.C., M.P. (Minister of Health) ; and Mr. Adamson (Secretary
for Scotland).
After considering the views expressed by all the speakers, the Conference
appointed a Committee to go into the matter in further detail, the first meeting of
which was fixed for the morning of the next day, Wednesday, June 18th.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
C. E. NEWTON, Town Clerk.
Provision of Work for Unemployed.
The Finance Committee reported to the Council at their
meeting in October. 1930, that they had had under consideration
Circulars issued by the Ministry of Health, the Unemployment
Grants Committee and the Ministry of Transport, setting out the
conditions of grants for unemployed works.
They further reported that they had also had before them
particulars of the Public Works Facilities Act, which received the
Royal Assent on August 1st, 1930, the object of which was to
expedite the provision of work so that as much as possible might be
done for the relief of unemployment.
Under this Act, which is to remain in force only until December
31st, 1932, unless Parliament otherwise determines, an alternative
to Private Bill Legislation is provided to enable local authorities
and statutory undertakers to put in hand works which would contribute
to the relief of unemployment; means are provided for
acquiring land compulsorily by an Order confirmed by the appropriate
Minister; and similar compulsory powers are given to highway
authorities to acquire easements for bridges over or under
land vested in statutory undertakers or local authorities, but except
as respects the matters mentioned below, only in cases where they
could under the existing law be given powers of compulsory purchase.
The exceptions are:—
(i) The provision of aerodromes under the Air Navigation Act, 1920.
(ii) The provision of open spaces by Councils of Metropolitan Boroughs.
(iii) The provision by a municipal corporation of any building for which they
are authorised to purchase land by Section 105 of the Municipal Corporations Act,
1882.