Mr. Chamberlain pointed out that such a reform would cost the taxpayer between £100,00000 anà £200,000,000 annually, which he could not at the moment afford.
He said he was sympathetic with the idea, however, provided that the present contributors, both employers and workers, were willing to increase their contributions and that no undue burden be imposed on the Exchequer.
He undertook to start an investigation immediately, in order to decide what modification was possible, and said he hoped to arrive at a conclusion before the end of the recess.
—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.