| Content Note | Subjects covered:
Recommendation that Major General Fabian Ware be appointed Vice Chairman for a period not less than 15 years
Recommendation that the Commission adhere to the Scale of Wages authorised by the Treasury for unskilled labour, with mention of the use of the Westminster Labour Exchange to engage men for early despatch to France
Consideration of the tenders received for the construction of Louvencourt and Forceville cemeteries, with discussion on the difficulty in getting contractors to undertake work due to uncertainty about the military conditions in France, reference to Holden as architect, and discussion of differences between costs estimated by architects and costs quoted by construction firms, and agreement that Sir Alfred Mond, in consultation with Major Durham, give further consideration to the tenders and report the result to the Commission. Also reported that it was understood that all future contracts for cemetery construction will be placed by Public Tender through advertisement in the appropriate technical newspapers
Consideration of a draft form of headstone contract to be adopted, and recommendation that it be submitted to the Treasury solicitor and afterwards submitted to the Commission for adoption
Question of Treasury control over the expenditure of the Commission, and delay caused by this control, with postponement of further consideration of the matter until the next meeting
Attendee:
The Rt. Hon. Sir Alfred Mond, Bart., MP
The Rt. Hon. W. P. Schreiner, KC, CMG
Major General Fabian Ware, CB, CMG (Chairman)
Major H. Ellissen (Secretary Acting)
Additional documents:
report of the meeting of the Finance Committee (consisting of the Rt. Hon. W. P. Schreiner KC, CMG; the Rt. Hon. Andrew Fisher, PC; Sir William Garstin GCMG, and Major H. Ellissen (Acting Secretary), with Mr S. Baldwin MP, at the Treasury Chambers, Whitehall, concerning the desire to appoint Major Fabian Ware as Vice Chairman of the Commission, with response from Austin Chamberlain, 19th May 1919;
report on the finances of the Commission and estimates for future spending and breakdown of costs by member government; verbatim report on the Finance Committee meeting;
memorandum by the Legal Adviser, Major Phillips, regarding wages for unskilled labour, with associated memorandum of interview with Harry Gosling regarding his views on wages of working parties used in France, 25th April 1919;
tabular statement of tenders for construction of Forceville and Louvencourt cemeteries, with tenders received from Holloway Bros, Dove Bros and W.E. Tarrant and Sons;
draft contract and specifications for headstones, compiled by Major F. R. Durham;
handwritten summary of resolutions of meeting; and list of correspondence sent to the Treasury (handwritten and multiple typed copies
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