64 
THE HOUSING QUESTION 
Dr. Addison : " I would refer my Honourable Friend to the 
terms of the Housing, Town Planning, etc.. Act, 1919, under which 
I am empowered to authorise County Councils to act, or may act 
myself, in default of Local Authorities who do not take adequate 
steps to provide the houses needed in their areas. I have for 
some time been pressing backward authorities to expedite their 
schemes, and it is my intention to use my powers where this is 
necessary.” 
This looked like business. The first case of a re 
fractory Council was Bedford. There the Ministry 
held an Inquiry and actually defaulted the Council— 
for a day or two. But it was not very seriously meant. 
Bedford were let off, have no intention of completing 
their statutory Housing Scheme, and to-day the 
Minister would not allow them to do so, even if the 
Council were desirous. 
But only in a few cases were the Ministry as brave 
as at Bedford. On a certain number of occasions they 
caused to be written petulant and semi-threatening 
letters. But defiant Local Authorities soon got used 
to these and learnt how little harm came of ignoring 
them. When Sir Alfred Mond succeeded Dr. Addison, 
and completely altered the ship’s course, all dilatory 
Councils knew they were through their troubles and in 
smooth water again. 
Let there, however, be no mistake. Parliament, in 
1919, gave powers of default to the Minister and in 
tended them to be used. Owing to the short-lived 
sincerity of the Coalition Government and their forget 
fulness of the promises upon which they rode into 
office, these powers were not used. It is entirely