AN EIGHT HOURS DAY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 152, 21 March 1908, Page 5

AN EIGHT HOURS DAY.

, A SWEEPINfi MOTION. LABOUR PARTY AND GOVERNMENT. HOURS IN COAL MINES, BY 'TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. v London, March 19. In the Houso of Commons, Mr. dynes, •Labour member for tho North-cast Division pf Manchester, moved that tlio working'day in all trades and industries should be limited ■by law. to a maximum of eight hours. : 'Mr. Herbert Samuel (Under-Secretary to the Homo Office) said the resolution was too sweeping. Agriculture would be unable to accept such a rigid rule, and it would be .impossible :to insist on a limitation in the eases Of domestic service, the textile 'trade, and shipping. The' Government meant to push tlio Miners' Eight Hours Bill through. 1

Mr. Balfour: If a diminution in the output of- our textile trado would injure pur foreign trade, why not a diminution in tho coal, production? ' ' Mr. A. Henderson (chairman .of-the Parliamentary Labour Party) advised tho withdrawal of: the resolution, but owing to objection .the subject was talked out.' ■! LABOUR. LEADER'S VIEWS. Mr. Arthur Henderson, the new chairman of tlio Parliamentary 'Labour;, party, is expected to maintain a policy of-. co-operation >vith tlie Government as long as Labour has . anything to expect thereby;'; and is hardly likely to. press 'forward, unduly sweeping 'resolutions. He is, however, perfectly frank as to .the quali; ficd nature of the -Labour party's, support'.' The following is. part of ;an . interview' in. "The /British Weekly" ' • ' "Do the Labour party intond to .follow:the: Government'loyally?". '' "Tho-Labour ,party," said Mr. Henderson,' 'are' an independent,party, our policy, being to support whichever Government is in poiver so far as they are 1 making enlightened efforts to carry-those -reforms which ivo consider in the interests o£.the- people. I could not say that tho-party'will bo'more loyal during the: present session.. than . during ' the past : two years. .We caii' only, be. known by pur fruits." "Are the Government, in yo'ur opinion, as strong .as ever?" .- "I ,am afraid," answered Mr. Henderson, "if I am -to take ,as my guide the speech .of ' the President of the Local Government Board and the close division which'followed that,.l can'not - freely " say . they are maintaining their.' position;' Thi's opinion seems to find, corroboration.in the''history'of, the recent' by-eleotiohs. - I am' quite prepared to'admit that one swallow does not pake a summer,' but joven can indicate the way' the wind, is .blowing, aud: the- trend; I tliink; at' .the moment, is against-the Government.", '"Do you consider tliat Tariff Reform was 1 the'cause 'of .tlio Unionist victories?"

"•No, I believe that tho cause 'is to be ■found entirely apart from 'Tariff. Reform. In Mid-Devon, 1 especially, there ,wcro. indications of-, dissatisfaction at tho. inactive policy of tho Government on tho question of unemployment. I am : afraid also it, must bo added' that tho farniers are - becoming a little alarmed about tho. consequences which' ' they think , will follow, from the administration- of tho . Small Holdings Act.- Thero is one point more. . Ths danger of the Government • to-day appears to me ;to be this, that they estrango.support from the section, who are 'against- all Governments when "they ' begin *to - carry refoton; while, on the other hand,'their measures are not sufficiently, drastic to.obtain' the enthusiastic support of real reformers."