BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1924, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

/11 KCTK IIS Tl-'.f, KG 1< A MS. J FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS PASSED. CONFERENCE PROPOSAL EMBODIED. (Received this day at 9.15 a.inA LONDON, February 20. In tlio House of Commons, the Unemployment liisuranee Bill passed through committee and was read a third time unopposed. William (lialuim, the Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, in moving a series of financial resolutions extending the aggregate of loans guaraiiteoaliie under the Trade Facilities Act from fifty to sixty-five million sterling, explained the resolutions included at least one of the proposals of the Tmp( rial and Economic Conferences, namely, that authorising it treasury guarantee for five years and three-quarters of interest on certain Dominion and Colonial public utility loans, the proceeds of which will he expendable in the United Kingdom. The resolutions .were agreed to without division. The Bank of England will invite applications for £1,800,000 of five per cent del eiiture stock to he issued at CDS 10s per cent in respect of which the Government will guarantee the principal and interest under the Trade Fat/.litjes... Act. The proceeds are iequired to pay for a fleet of motor ships for £1,800,000 ordered from Messrs llarlnml and Wolff. .MR '.MACDONALD’S ILL HEALTH. REPORTS UNFOUNDED. LONDON, February. 20. The persistent rumours that Mr MacDonald contemplates resigning the For< it/ri Secretaryship on account of illhealth are unfounded. LABOUR. AND OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT. THE -‘TIMES” COMMENT.

[“Tun Times” Sunvio«.j

(Received this day at 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, February 21.

'l’lie “Times” in an'editorial says: "Presumably Labour in the Dominions can trust Labour in tins country, and it- should he easy for the British Government to allay the suspicions of the various Labour organisations overseas and persuade them to a vigorous policy of overseas settlement which does not

necessarily mean a conspiracy to swamp tlit. labour markets in the Dominion cities,”

T-e “Times” adds: "The Governs ment has apparently decided to enrol',lage the group system of .settlement and if it is able to enlist the sympathy and co-operation of Labour in the Dominions it will not only advantageously help the solution of the problem of Empire settlement, but will rondei a signal service to every class of the community which it claims specially to represent.”