A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46

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III. APPENDIX 1 .
Regional points of national interest

Once a month, under this heading, we propose to make a brief report on matters which, though of immediate importance only to the Region whence they are reported, may also be of more general interest.

WALES

The Welsh Courts Bill : The decision to allow the Welsh language in Welsh Courts has been whole-heartedly welcomed and there is “some wishful wonder as to whether this will lead to the appointment of additional Welsh-speaking Judges and Justices”. There is also “great stress on the need for appointing a Secretary for Wales”. The President of the Board of Education's friendly attitude towards Wales has “evoked much appreciative comment, and in one area a special committee has been set up by the N.U.T. to consider the future of the Welsh language”.

Ministry of Labour interviews : Complaints are reported from Cardiganshire (an area which is almost wholly Welsh-speaking) regarding Ministry of Labour officials in the Women's Section. Some of those who interview women who are called up do not apparently speak Welsh, a defect which seems to distress country girls. The presence of an interpreter does not always overcome this difficulty. “The strange circumstances and ignorance of their rights, place these girls at a disadvantage when cross-examined, and the same applies to the Appeals Tribunal; the Chairman is Welsh-speaking and always fair, but some of the ladies who sit with him only speak English.”

SOUTH EASTERN REGION

A Maidstone factory experiment : The Intelligence Officer in the South Eastern Region has reported on a “highly successful experiment” in a factory at Maidstone where “many kinds of war equipment” are made.

To stimulate the workers' interest and drive home the individual importance of the components or operations made by each of them, the Management have organised an exhibition of various finished products. A descriptive placard is attached to each exhibit, and at certain times experts are in attendance to answer enquiries. On one table are articles listed as “Gifts to Hitler”. These are components which have been rejected because of faulty workmanship, and which show the waste of material and time caused through carelessness, etc. On another table are specimens of the various forms and cards used by the clerical staff; these show how their jobs, which are often monotonous and unspectacular, are necessary for the smooth and efficient operation of the factory as a complete unit.

Admission to the show is restricted to the employees, many of whom have never before seen the finished articles which are the results of their individual efforts. The exhibition has proved a great success in demonstrating the results of team work and in showing how each worker fits into the scheme of things.

This account of what is believed to be an unusual experiment, is given with the permission of the management, whose hope it is that others may be sufficiently interested to give it a trial.

IV. APPENDIX 2 .

Monthly Summary of Constant Topics No. 4

(Covering the period from 10th November to 8th December 1942)

The following subjects, included in this list last month, are now omitted, as references to them have almost ceased: (i) High pay of juveniles (ii) Inadequacy of servicemen's pay and dependants' allowances (iii) Careless Talk.

All new topics arising for the first time are included in the main Weekly Reports. The following have lost their novelty, while still retaining their importance for large sections of the public. They are arranged according to the frequency with which they have been reported.

Transport difficulties

19 November Regions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9. 10. 12.
26 November Regions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 10. 12.
3 December Regions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 12. 13.
10 December Regions 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12.

Waste of petrol

19 November Regions 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 10. 12.
26 November Regions 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 8. 10.
3 December Regions 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 13.
10 December Regions 3. 4. 6. 7. 9. 10.

Inadequacy of clothing coupons

19 November Regions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 9. 10. 12.
26 November Regions 3. 5. 8. 10. 12.
3 December Regions 1. 3. 4. 5. 9. 10. 11. 12.
10 December Regions 3. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 12.

Shopping difficulties and food queues

19 November Regions 1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 9. 10. 12.
26 November Regions 1. 2. 4. 5. 9. 10.
3 December Regions 1. 2. 5. 9. 10. 12.
10 December Regions 1. 2. 4. 5. 7. 8. 10.

Compulsory fire-watching for women

19 November Regions 5. 8. 9. 10. 12.
26 November Regions 2. 3. 4. 5. 7. 10.
3 December Regions 2. 3. 5. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12.
10 December Regions 9. 10.

Salvage

19 November Regions 2. 4.
26 November Regions 2. 8. 9. 10. 12.
3 December Regions 1. 8. 9.
10 December Regions 2. 3. 4. 8. 11. 13.

Old Age Pensioners

19 November Regions 4. 5. 9. 10.
26 November Regions 2. 4. 5. 9.
3 December Regions 5. 10.
10 December Regions 4. 5. 10.

Too many young men and women in civilian jobs and evading call-up

19 November Regions 3. 10.
26 November Regions 2. 8. 10. 11.
3 December Regions 3. 8.
10 December Regions 1. 9. 10.

Shortage of housing accommodation and difficulty of billeting workers

19 November Regions 3. 5. 10.
26 November Regions 2. 5.
3 December Regions 5. 6. 7. 11.
10 December Regions 10.

Disparity in pay

19 November Regions 3. 5.
26 November Regions None
3 December Regions 3. 9.
10 December Regions 1. 3. 4.

Victimisation of the small business in relation to larger concerns

19 November Regions 1.
26 November Regions 2. 4. 10.
3 December Regions 10. 12.
10 December Regions 2.

Rationing difficulties of people living alone

19 November Regions 5. 12.
26 November Regions 5. 10.
3 December Regions 4. 10.
10 December Regions None

Preferential treatment of certain customers by shopkeepers

19 November Regions None
26 November Regions 2. 5.
3 December Regions 2. 5.
10 December Regions 7. 8.

Lack of British restaurants

19 November Regions 10.
26 November Regions 3. 10.
3 December Regions 3. 10.
10 December Regions 10.

Shortages :

(i) Shortage of fish

19 November Regions 1. 2. 4. 6. 7. 9. 10. 11. 12.
26 November Regions 1. 2. 5. 6. 7. 10. 12.
3 December Regions 1. 2. 5. 6. 9. 10. 12.
10 December Regions 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9. 10. 12.

(ii) Shortage and poor quality of clothing and footwear

19 November Regions 2. 3. 7. 9. 10. 12.
26 November Regions 1. 2. 3. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 12.
3 December Regions 1. 2. 3. 5. 7. 10.
10 December Regions 1. 2. 3. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 12.

(iii) Shortage and high price of crockery, glass and kitchenware

19 November Regions 4. 6. 7. 10.
26 November Regions 4. 6. 7. 8. 10.
3 December Regions 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. 12.
10 December Regions 4. 5. 6.

(iv) Shortage of matches and lighters

19 November Regions 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 10. 11. 12.
26 November Regions 1. 2. 4. 5. 8.
3 December Regions 4. 6.
10 December Regions 1. 4. 5. 6.

(v) Shortage of shell eggs

19 November Regions 1. 2. 4. 10.
26 November Regions 2. 7. 8. 10. 12.
3 December Regions 2. 7. 10. 11. 12.
10 December Regions 2. 7. 12.

(vi) Shortage of torch batteries

19 November Regions 1. 4. 12.
26 November Regions 5. 8. 10.
3 December Regions 4. 5. 6. 10.
10 December Regions 1. 3. 4. 7. 10.
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