DEBATE ON THE BILL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1401, 29 March 1912, Page 5

DEBATE ON THE BILL.

AMENDMENTS REJECTED. "MAKING FOOLS 'OF THE MEN." London, March 2". During the discussion in the House of Commons on the Minimum Wage Bill, the Prime Minister (Mr. Asquith) ivarned the miners of their heavy responsibility if they persisted in the strike when the Bill was passed. The Government, he said, had gone beyond precedent in asking Parliament to acccpt the principle of a minimum wage. Mr. Bonar Law, Lender of the Opposition, said that the whole of the resources of the country must protect men desiring to work. An amendment by Mr. -Bruce, Labour member for Glamorganshire South, on tho report stage of tho Bill, reintroducing the provision for ss. and 2s. as the minima, was rejected, the voting being:— Against the amendment 32G For the amendment 83 The Nationalists abstained from woting. Forty-three Liberals supported tho Labourites, including Sir Henry Dalziel, Mr. Atherley Jones, and the Eev. Sylvester Home.

JIY.. W. E. Harvey, Labour member for North-East Derbyshire, stated that over one hundred -thousand persons working underground did not get five shillings a day. A Government amendment was passed, by 2G5 votes to 135, instructing district boards to havo' regard to tho average daily rate of wages now paid to miners. Tho Labour party moved an amendment to the cffcct that the rate fixed should never be less than the average daily rate. This was rejected, by 271 to 101. Mr. I! am say MneDonald, sneaking on the third reading of tho Bill, said the measure was simply making fcols of the men. They would try to use the Bill, but would not let anybody imagine that the strike had been declared off. Mr. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said that Mr. Mac Donald's language was deplorable. Tho Bill embodied tho miners' very words as contained in the ballot paper on which the men voted in favour of a strike. It had not given up the schedule, but'affirmed the principlo of a minimum wage. That was a gigantic advance for Labour. It was not upright or courageous for tho Labour party to destroy the Bill; the effect of doing so would bo to plunge the people into even greater misery. The Bill was then read a third time,, the voting being:— For the Bill 213 Against 18 The members of tho Labour party opposed the Bill, and a majority of the Unionists abstained from voting. Mr. Asquith -was warmly chcered when leaving tho House. IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. SECOND READING CARRIED. NO OPPOSITION AMENDMENTS. (Rec. March 29, 1.5 a.m.) London, March 28. Tho House of Lords has read tho Minimum Wage Bill a second time. Tho Marquis of Crewe (Secretary of Stato for India) explained the circumstances leading to-the introduction of tho Bill. Lord Lansdowne, Leader of tho Opposition, said, the Government had rejected the principle of tho minimum wage, but had converted by a colossal conspiracy into making the miners' grievances tho pretext for a Bill, which left tho men's leaders tho power to scutenco the country to starvation and ruin, and perhaps to humiliate and paralyse the nation. The Opposition would not embarrass tho Government by moving amendments. Tho Archbishop of Canterbury appealed to the Christian conscience of tho nation to remember the interests of its poorest and weakest members. Earl Gray said there was a battle proceeding between Radicals, individualists, trades unions, and tho new Unionists, aiming at the abolition of private ownership. Lord Ualdano (Secretary of State for War) denied that tho Bill was an attempt lio buy off a conspiracy. Tho Government believed it better to take the simple principle of tho minimum than to attempt to fix wages. The committee stago was postponed, owing to tho miners' leaders objecting to tho wording of an amendment which tho Government desired to introduce. RIOTING AT CANNOCK CHASE. MOB ATTACKS WORKING MINERS. MILITARY CALLED IN. (Rec. March 20, 1.15 a.m.) London, March 2S. i'ivn hundred Yorkshire miners have gone to the collieries at Cannock Chase, in Staffordshire, where a mob of strikers is preventing them from reassembling on the surface, and throwing missiles down the jit upon thorn,

Dcspito tho appeal of tho miners'- agent, tho mob overpowered tho police and burnt some buildings, doing damago to tho extent of .£3OOO. Numorous baton charges were made by tho police, who finally 6cnt urgout messages for military nid to Lichfield. A detachment of infantry subsequently arrived. LABOUR SPLIT. DIVIDED VIEWS O.N THE BILL, (Rec. March 29, 1.25 a.m.) London, March 28Jlr. Keir Bardie, speaking at Cnmherwell, said that the Coal Bill should make it compulsory that both sides must accept tho Bill. The boards might meet on Friday or Saturday, if the owners wished to concede tho 'is. and 2s. a day minimum rates. jHter that (ho details would bo easy, and it would be possible to have tho men lwok at work on Easter Monday. "Tho Times" states that tho split between tho trade union v;ing of tho Socialists and tho Labonr party resulted in angry scenes and recriminations oil Tuesday night beforo it was decided to oppose the Miners' Bill. Sir. Ramsay Mac Donald advocated that tho party should abstain from taking part in the debate on tho Bill. I ACCEPTED BY MINEOWNERS. THE GOVERNMENT'S HOPES. London, March 27. The mineowners, at a meeting, accepted the Minimum Wago Bill. Four thousand miners have gone back to work. Tho Government hones that the passage of the Minimum Wago Bill will afford an excuse for the miners to return. The Labour leaders favour the mon accepting the Bill to the extent of assisting to form district boards and endeavouring to securo satisfactory minima; but it is probable that orders will be- issued against returning to tho pits until the wages are fixed. Mr. M'Kenna, Home Secretary, stated ill tho House of Commons that tho Government would afford adequate protection where owners were willing to reopen their mines and the mineVs were willing to work. MR. RAMSAY MACDONALD. REBUKED BY "THE TIMES." London, March 27. The "Times," commenting on Mr. Lloyd-George's retaliation against Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald) Chairman of the Labour Parliamentary party, describes Mr. Mac Donald as assuming the air of a patron towards the miners and of a schoolmaster towards the Government and owners. Mr. Mac Donald, it says, is becoming ridiculous in his attempts to conceal his lack of influence on tho real Labour movement by assuming airs of importance. NEW SOUTH WALES AID. MEALS FOR THE STARVING. (Rec. March 29, 0.35 a.m.) Sydney, March 28. The State Premier, Mr. M'Gowan, has cabled to the Agent-General giving him authority to spend .£IOOO to provide meals for 50,000 starving persons in the provincial towns.