GOVERNMENT OF LONDON

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21402, 19 February 1935, Page 11

GOVERNMENT OF LONDON

♦ . WORK OF COUNTY COUNCIL I WIDE FIELD OF ACTIVITY (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELXOBiJi.) WELLINGTON, February 18. A notable Londoner, Colonel Sir [John Perring, arrived from Sydney by the Makura to-day, on a world tour. Sir John is one of the altruistic body of men and women who devote most of their time in an honorary capacity to the work of the London County Council, on which he has served continuously for the last 13 years. From 1926 until March, 1934, Sir John was continuously chairman of the Establishment Committee, which controls the administrative, professional, and technical staff of more than 5000 persons. In March of last year the Labour party took over control of the London County Council, and the Municipal Reform party, which had governed for 27 years, gave up that charge. The Municipal Reform party before the election, said Sir John, had a five years' programme of housing and slum clearances, involving an expenditure of from £35,000,000 to £37,000,000 over a period of five years. Already' there were many housing estates, comprising 10,000 workmen's homes built on the fringe of London. He had no reason to fear that the Labour party would not go forward with that policy. The Rt. Hon. Herbert Morrison, who was Labour leader in the London County Council to-day, was Minister for Transport in the former Labour Government, and Sir John said that he had a high opinion of Mr Morrison's abilities. At the same time he was somewhat nervous of the party behind Mr Morrison, in that it might be restless and urge Mr Morrison to greater activities than he was prepared to undertake. The County Hall The outstanding event during Sir John's occupancy of the chair of the Establishment Committee was the erection' of the final section of the County Hall at a cost of about £75,000. He said they were now anticipating the putting up of another building, facing the County Hall, which probably would cost £ 1,000,000. It might be surprising to know that 40,000 medical examinations took place annually at the County Hall. "The London County Council," he said, "is often spoken of as the parliament of London. When one learns there are 73,000 people working under the authority of the council the extent of the council's activities may be realised. In the library of the County Hall is a glass case containing about 30 seals. These are the seals of the various corporations the London County Council has drawn under its control and supplanted." Empire Preference ■ In all purchases made by the London County Council, said Sir John. Empire preference was given. A total of 110,000 people were fed daily, and the London County Council contracted for supplies of meat from Australia and New Zealand and for other produce. It was laid down that Empire preference, must be given up to 10 per cent, above the price of articles from foreign countries. No contract was eptered into unless it was confirmed by the General Purposes Committee....which invariably confirmed Empire" preference. Sir John and Lady Perring intend to tour both the North and the South Islands before returning to England via Honolulu and Panama-