20 OCTOBER 1923, Page 1

He appealed to the Trade Unions in the building trade

to reconsider the rejected plan for admitting 50,000 ex-Service men into the industry. Housing was being hindered by an acute shortage of, skilled men. There is, we fear, no doubt about this whatever, and it seems to us most discreditable that in such times as these the building Trade Unions should try to maintain a position of privilege. and monopoly for themselves and stand in the way of the country's recovery. Sir Montague mentioned the schemes of the Great Western Railway as a good example of what the great Railway Companies proposed to do. The Great Western Railway Company will spend 10 million pounds in all, and the greater part of the work is being put in hand at once.