Socialist Norman Dodds, M.P., sat staring out of his study window at a group of workmen. They were tearing up the streets of Dartford (pop. 40,544) to replace old electrical cables, and Dodds had had numerous complaints that they were taking an unconscionable time about it. Dodds compiled a timetable:
8:00 a.m.work began. Should have begun 7:30 a.m.
8:45 a.m.a little digging. Two shovelfuls exhausted them.
9:30 a.m.tea break . . .
10:15 a.m.men rested on their shovels.
11:15 a.m.sack of apples arrived and men left off work to eat them, lounging and talking.
1:00 p.m.lunchtime. Men had long since disappeared.
2:00 p.m.straggling back to work.
2:15 p.m.trek...
