COAL INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19179, 9 December 1927, Page 9

COAL INDUSTRY.

LABOUR'S CENSURE MOTION.

MR BALDWIN EXPLAINS

(BT CABLE—PEESS ASROCIATIOX--COPyEIOHT.) (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z AND SCN CABLE.)

(Received December Bth, 5.5 p.m.)

LONDON, December 7

In the House of Commons Mr Ramsay Mac-Donald moved a motion of censure on the Government on the grounds that during a previous Labour censure motion Mr Baldwin deliberately evaded any defence or explanation of Cabinets inaction in the coal trade crisis, on which the fiou3e doclared and demanded an authoritative statement by the Prime Minister.

Mr Mac Donald said that Hansard offered no precedent for the Prime Minister not replying immediately to motions of censure. Labour's indictment was against the whole Government as well as against Mr Baldwin personally. Tho previous motion put the whole Government in the dock foi tho present disastrous position of the coal industry, for which the Government was largely responsible, hut Mr Baldwin insulted the Opposition by his failure to reply. Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, President of the Board of Trade, briefly explained the sale of his own and his wife's interests in collieries.

The present difficulties of the coal trade should not be exaggerated, he said. The output at present was above that of 1925. Unemployment in the coal trade was 258,000 in July 1925, and was now 223,000. The future depended on general trade prospects. British industry had improved and was improving. The Government had never guaranteed the prosperity. of the coal trade, but the eight hours' day improved its chance of reducing working costs by 2s 8d a ton. The Ministry of Labour was establishing a small committee to arrange for the transfer of miners to districts where employment was available. The possibility of migration to Canada for seasonal employment would be considered. Sir Philip continued that Labour, when in offiee, brought the coal industry to the vergo of bankruptcy by an impossible wages agreement, which meant the unemployment of 500,000 instead of 200,000 miners. Labour was responsible for the general strike, which lost us our foreign markets, Its only coal policy was nationalisation, which would not improve things, but only thrust the industry upon the State. Mr Lloyd George said that it was inexcusable that Mr Baldwin, during the Labour censure motion on November 16th, did not intervene in the debate on our second greatest industry. The Government in August, 1920, gave the industry two years to put its house in order, but nothing had yet been dono in the direction of reorganisation similar to Germany's. Our pits were working at a loss and our exports were down in most markets.

Mr Baldwin, replying, said it could not be held that the Prime Minister was bound to answer every, motion in the form of a censure motion, which had become a general method of seeking opportunity tor debate. The Opposition on November 16th showed di.«satisfaction by preventing any other speaker being heard. There was no novelty in that method. He owe took part in a similar demonstration, of which he wa3 heartily ashamed next day. He had also learned that such scenes did not increase a Party's popularity in the electorate. He thought the present motion showed Mr MacDonald's realisation of the fact that disturbances achieved nothing. No Party was willing to yield to clamour. Mr Baldwin went on: "In arranging the previous debate, I thought Sir P. Cunliffe-Lister should make the first general reply, as he was able to answer most points. I asked Sir A. SteelMaitland to answer particujar points on unemployment. My own first intention was to wind up the debate. Later I decided to give a place to Mr G. R. Lane-Fox, who participated in the coal negotiations three years ago. Mr Lane-Fox was shortly giving up the portfolio to undertake a difficult task in India. Therefore. I felt it would only be fair to give him a last opportunity of speaking from the front bench. For that reason alone, I decided not to speak myself. For this the House is now asked to censure me. I await the result with confid6HC© " Sir Alfred Mond said the difficulties of the coal trade were not national, but international. Personally, he never expected that advancing hours and reducing wages would produce the results predicted, and he urged the Government to utilise the Trade Facilities Act. . . Mr Lane-Fox, summing up, said the reduced cost of production had enabled Britain to recover a considerable portion of the world market. The censure motion was negatived) by 247 votes to 142.