THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF GOVERNMENT IOJ

and their relations with other forms of transport. The preparation
of any new laws would be the Minister's task, though the chance
of enacting them would depend on the attitude of the Treasury.
Thus the proposals of the Weir Committee for electrifying the
Railways must wait for financial help.

There are two partly independent authorities connected with
this Department—the London Passenger Transport Board and
the Central Electricity Board. The former is appointed by a
group of institutions, some public and some private; it carries
on its work independently within the limits set by the London
Passenger Transport Act. This Act, as originally planned by
Mr. Herbert Morrison, when he was Minister of Transport,
required that the Board should be appointed by the Minister.
But before the Bill became law the Labour Government to which
Mr. Morrison belonged had fallen, and their successors adopted
the present plan. So London Transport is not a department of
Government but, rather, a private concern under exceptional
measures of public control. The members of the Central
Electricity Board, on the other hand, are appointed by the
Minister. The generation of Electricity is carried on by private
persons, and its distribution either privately, or by local
authorities. The work of the Board is simply to select certain
generating stations and arrange for transmission, with the object
of cheapening the supply. There has been a great increase in the
use of electricity since the Board was appointed in 1926; but
development is still hampered by the lack of organisation in
distribution.

THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES.

The first purpose of this Department was to collect inform-
ation about agricultural methods. It soon appeared that there
was a special need for the Government to act in the prevention
of disease among animals. Farmers could not be left to deal
with this as they pleased, since the carelessness of a few could
cause widespread infection. The Ministry, through its Inspectors,