A 
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 indis- 
criminating 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 Com 
mons 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 quan 
tity of light castings so that house building will be expedited ? 
Sir A. Mond : " There has been, and still is, a shortage of rain 
water 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