Sir William Davison: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the statement of the American philosopher who said that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds?
Sir William Davison: asked the Secretary of State for War whether arrangements can now be made for the return of married men to this country after three years' service in S.E.A.C.
Sir William Davison: Why not get some of Germany's timber?
Sir William Davison: Are applications for work costing £100 or under to be addressed to the local authority?
Sir William Davison: I think this is a thoroughly bad Bill. It might more properly be entitled "a Bill to enable local authorities to build bungalows on the cheap." My hon. and gallant Friend the Member for North Kensington (Captain Duncan) referred to the debate that we had in the Kensington borough council a week ago when the housing committee brought forward a motion to erect 50 bungalows on the West side of...
Sir William Davison: Local authorities have power to acquire land. We all admit the urgent need for houses, but the arguments which justify putting up 50 bungalows in Kensington Gardens because the land is flat and there are drains would justify building houses all over Kensington Gardens. If there is such an urgent need that any open space must be taken, that would justify building on parks, recreation grounds...
Sir William Davison: It was defeated, and that makes it the more deplorable. Members of the council were led away by the fallacious arguments used in this House.
Sir William Davison: asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now inform the House of the result of his inquiries as to the possibility of releasing schools which have been requisitioned for various military purposes; and whether he is aware that pupils of London schools who were evacuated to the country are in many cases returning with their parents, their country billets being no longer available,...
Sir William Davison: Does my right hon. Friend recognise the great urgency of this matter, and that these trials ought to be proceeded with as soon as possible?
Sir William Davison: I am bound to say that I found the speech of the Financial Secretary very unconvincing. In one part of it he clearly showed the essentiality of the Amendment when he said that a Select Committee of the House might very well take a different view from the Commission. If that is so, is it not essential that in public matters, such as those just alluded to with regard to common rights, this...
Sir William Davison: That is by the way.
Sir William Davison: I am sorry, but talking of common lands, I thought that I might say something by the way. Be that as it may, many of the open spaces in this country have been acquired by local authorities and are used as recreation grounds and places for public amusement. In all such cases local authorities should not be subject to the decision of any Commission and it should be a matter for Parliament to...
Sir William Davison: Will my right hon. Friend put down an Amendment, which we can consider on Report, to see whether it carries out what he has suggested?
Sir William Davison: Would not the best procedure be that further consideration of the Amendment 4 be adjourned?
Sir William Davison: Can it not be referred to in the discussion on the Amendment that has been called?
Sir William Davison: asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make a statement on the present position with regard to the large increases in charges for electricity which have been made during the war by the Central London Electricity Company and other companies; whether any recent review of the position has taken place; and what action is being taken in the matter.
Sir William Davison: Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that, though the Notting Hill and other electric lighting companies advertise all sorts of electric equipment, when inquiries are made by the public as to the installation of this equipment, they are put off with various excuses including the high charges in connection with installation? Does he not think that an inquiry should be made?
Sir William Davison: Is the Minister aware that no estimate of the cost involved was given in this report; and has he made up his mind as to the probable cost involved in the recommendations of the committee?
Sir William Davison: asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the hardships suffered by patentees in having the period of time for which the patent was granted curtailed by reason of the war and whether steps will be taken to extend patents taken out during the war for the period of time during which the war has made them inoperative.
Sir William Davison: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these patentees have been deprived for nearly six years of the profits they were entitled to receive under their patents? Surely it is only fair that the time for which a patent is valid should be extended for a like period?
