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THE  HOUSING  QUESTION  93\
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about  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Light  Castings.
It  was  unhesitating  in  its  condemnation.  It  reported
that  the  Light  Castings  Association  was  restricting
its  output,  and  retarding  efficiency,  in  order  to  keep  up
prices,  to  such  an  extent  that  not  more  than  4,000  houses
a  month  could  be  finished,  a  number  which  was,  of
course,  totally  inadequate.  The  Committee  described
the  course  taken  by  the  Association  as  contrary  to  the
public  interest.
The  Government,  which  has  always  been  indiscriminating
  in  its  blame  of  working  men  and  which
forced  upon  them  a  measure  of  dilution  of  operatives,
has  taken  no  action  whatever  against  its  friends  the
manufacturers,  whom  its  own  Committee  has  so  gravely
censured.  The  following  reply  in  the  House  of  Commons ­
  is  a  good  instance  of  a  Minister  defending  his
allies:—
Mr.  Robert  Young  asked  the  Minister  ot  Health  Whether
during  the  latter  part  of  1920  the  supply  of  rain-water  spouting,
ranges  and  other  ironwork  necessary  for  the  equipment  of  dwellings
was  insufficient,  and,  as  a  result,  houses  almost  ready  for  use  were
kept  standing  empty,  entailing  loss  to  local  authorities  and  the
Treasury  ;  whether  this  was  due  in  large  measure  to  the  action
of  the  Light  Castings  Association  ;  whether  the  present  supply
of  light  castings  is  deemed  sufficient  for  the  housing  work  in
progress,  and,  if  not,  what  steps  will  be  taken  to  increase  the  quantity ­
  of  light  castings  so  that  house  building  will  be  expedited  ?
Sir  A.  Mond  :  "  There  has  been,  and  still  is,  a  shortage  of  rainwater ­
  and  soil  goods,  and  baths,  available  for  housing  schemes.
The  output  of  light  castings  has  been  investigated  by  a  Committee
appointed  under  the  Profiteering  Act,  and  that  Committee  has
recently  issued  a  Report  which  deals  amongst  other  things  with