THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1922, Page 2

THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT

.USTIiALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOHATI"'’ adverse vote ignored. LONDON, May 17 .Mr C. liitinlierlain, replying in Parliament to a question, said: The Government could not but consider that last night’s adverse vote was a serious one, in view of its being a refusal of the House to support them in the steps they thought necessary to secure a reduction in the public expenditure and an alleviation of the public burden. Whatever might he said about the exact significance of the vote, the decision of the House had been given upon a dilatory motion, whereupon it wa= not in order to argue the merits f the case. In these circumstances, he said, the Government had decided to appoint a- Select Committee, consisting at not more than nine members, to report as to whether, in the fixing ol . ;.e present scales of salaries, any undertaking had been given, or implied, that the provision of the teachers superannuation law should not he altered while the salaries remained in force to meet the additional burden in consequence of a vote of approximately £200,000 monthly. The Governmen* v o dd, lie added, immediately bring down a supplementary estimate ot £OOOO to cover the charge during the liist quarter of the year. Replying to further questions, -Mr Chamberlain said tlmt he well knows V at when he went to the division last nhdii. the Government stood in grave danger of being beaten, but be considered it his duty to put the responsibility on the House. The Government considered that the Supplementary Estimates should lie taken at the cad’ passible moment, perhaps next week. Commander Kenworthy (Labour): And go to the country on it! Mr Chamberlain : Yes, if necessary.