A.—sc.

Stockholm, who was one of the delegates, stated in her address during the debate that Spain could look forward with equanimity to as much limitation of working-time as it was possible to obtain. She added that Spain had not been satisfied with mere ratification of Conventions, but had incorporated these Conventions in its laws. When the civil war broke out the Government took over enterprises, such as building works, which had been abandoned, and continued the work, maintaining all the conditions of collective agreements and maintaining a forty-hour week in many industries. Co-operative works, she stated, had within recent years made enormous progress in Spain, 292 new co-operative societies having been registered in the Labour Ministry during 1937. In Finland the number of farms held on lease which have been transformed into small holdings since that country became, in 1918, independent of Russia is in excess of 100,000. Sixty per cent, of the population of Finland earn their living from agriculture and its subsidiary branches, and the majority of the rural population are now landowners. This year Finland brought into force a new Act under which the Government shares in the cost of maintaining employment exchanges. The Government has also extended a network of free employment exchanges. An invalidity and old-age insurance Act was also passed this year, but will not come into force until 1939. It covers the whole adult population of the country, which is about 2,000,000 persons out of a total population of 3,500,000. The State and municipal authorities will pay about one-third and the social institutions about twothirds of the cost. A proposal has been placed before Parliament for maternity assistance, and it is anticipated to be adopted at the end of this year. Bills are being prepared to deal with the housing problem in town and country. In Norway the Government is occupied in the preparation of various plans to counteract the special unemployment which is caused by changes in methods of production. To deal with unemployment generally a Bill was introduced this year under which one-fifth (600,000) of the total Norwegian population will be insured against unemployment and will be entitled to benefit during fifteen weeks in any year. An old-age-pension scheme applicable to all persons who have reached the age of seventy came into force on Ist Jifly of this year. The Norwegian Government delegate who gave this information remarked that if the Conference considered the age of seventy rather high, he would give the reminder that his countrymen were long-lived. The pensions vary according to the cost of living in different regions, and are fixed in such a way as to ensure a modest living. The pension scheme is not contributory. A Bill has also been introduced this year dealing with pensions for the blind, the crippled, and disabled persons over sixty-five. The payments under this heading are to be similar to those under the old-age-pensions scheme. No general invalidity insurance has yet been introduced, but the Government has taken up the question in connection with the problem of extension of sickness insurance to the whole population. Another Act dated 11th June, 1936, provides for at least nine days paid holiday a year to about 500,000 wage-earners and salaried employees —i.e., about one-sixth of the entire population. The Government delegate of Iran during his speech said that whereas their old workshops were simple and quiet and could be governed in a patriarchal manner, their modern factories had certain dangers and risks. They had therefore passed legislation concerning safety and hygiene, insurance against accidents and sickness, and legislation for the protection of women and children. Uruguay, to combat the effects of the depression, has spent approximately 50,000,000 Swiss francs on carrying out a public works plan involving the building of cheap houses for workers. It was carried out with the assistance of the State bank, so that the houses could be rented at a very low figure. No taxation or foreign loan could be used to finance these additional schemes of public works, but the Government was able to obtain ample resources from the profits resulting from the revalorization of the national stock of gold. This year Uruguay has undertaken another scheme which will produce electric power from hydraulic sources, and which will cost 100,000,000 Swiss francs. It is expected that the work will be completed in four years. Over-population was the problem which the Polish Government delegate stressed so far as his country was concerned. He mentioned that the surplus population in rural districts in Poland, from the economic point of view, has been calculated at 5,000,000 people, who could be removed from Poland without any serious harm being done to the agricultural development of the country. It was admitted by the representative, of the Government of Ecuador that legislative work in the field of social progress is only just beginning there, but he pointed out that they had set up Labour Courts, were steadily developing a system of inspection, wages had been considerably increased, and legislation had been passed for the protection of women workers and the prevention of industrial accidents. In Egypt legislation has been passed concerning workers' compensation and the restriction of hours of work in unhealthy and dangerous industries. Unpaid compulsory labour in order to prevent the Nile from overflowing its banks during flood periods has been prohibited. Proposals are being considered to give official recognition to trade-unions for inducing compulsory accident insurance and for the provision of collective agreements. Legislation is being promulgated concerning the individual contracts of employment and especially of closing-hours. A census had been taken, and when its results had been analysed the necessary statistical basis for the passing of social-insurance legislation would be available. A company was established by law in Chile in 1936 for the building of educational establishments in order to combat unemployment. A Wage Board has been established for the purpose of improving workers' wages and nutrition. Four Wage Boards have been established and wages raised in State undertakings, railways, factories, public works, &c., residting in an increase in wage-levels in other undertakings. A plan has been drafted providing for rational nutrition standards, with an increase in the consumption of meat, milk, wheat, beans, and phosphorus-containing foods. Special arrangements have been made for maternity and infant welfare and a Colonization Fund has been arranged to promote the division of large estates. An Act was passed this year giving special attention to the

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