HOUSE OF COMMONS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 21, 27 October 1919, Page 5

HOUSE OF COMMONS

A CURIOUS SITUATION

GOVERNMENT DEFEATED ON THE ALIENS BILL Br Telegraph-Press Association-OopyriaM (Rec. October 2G, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 23. ' A curious situation has arisen in tho House of Commons as the result of the Government's defeat by 183 votes to 113 on an amendment to'tho Aliens Bill. The amendment related to the clauso providing that no alien should hold a pilotage certificate. Mr. E. Shoi'lt (Home Secretary) pointed out that, such a clause would conilict with the Pilotage Act of 1913, and detrimentally affect b'rench pilots, and he proposed an amendment to 'meet the difficulty. Tho Houso rejected'the amendment,, whereupon Mr. Bonar Law immediately moved an adiournment till Monday, though ho ridiculed the idea that the Government was going lo resign. The debate showed that ;, jnaiority of .the members of tho House of Commons desired more drasticmeasures against aliens than the Government was embodying in the Bill. Tho adiournment will enable the Government to rcconsidor tho whole problem — Aus.-N.7i. Cable Assn.

CRISIS NOT PRECIPITATED < HOUSE REASSERTING ITS INDEPENDENCE. (Bee. October 26, 11.5 p.m.)' London, October 24. Although it is admitted on all hands thiil: the Government's defeat will not precipitate a crisis, the newspapers claim that it is a,significant indication of tho determination of the House of Commons to reassert its independence and restore its control over the Executive. The revolt \va? headed by over a hundred Coalition Unionists, who demand the strengthening of (he restrictions upon aliens and the carrying out of election pledges, too mav of which have been neglected. The Government survived two bad divisions on Wednesday on the samo Bill, whou tho support of fifty-threo Labour members and independent Liberals practicallv saved >t. Labour, however, refused to let yesterday's opportunity slip, and voted against the Government, while Sir Donald Maclean and other "Wee Frees" did not vote.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.