30 MARCH 1929, Page 2

The Government, Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland went on to say, were

as much concerned as either the. Liberals or Labour about electrical development, slum clearance, housing, afforestation, drainage and roads, and were pressing on as rapidly as conditions allowed. Moreover, the Conservatives were the only Party who had done anything for training and transfer. Finally he an- nounced, in advance of the official publication, that the week's unemployment figures showed a drop of 86,000. There were now 86,000 fewer unemployed than when the Government took office and this was in spite of the fact that 550,000 more persons were now in the insured trades. * * * * '