BRITISH POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1926, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] LONDON, May 20. Asked if the Government could take steps to prevent £260,000 sent by the Russian Trades Unions to assist the miners, coming into the country, Sir Joynsqu Hicks said that whatever might be felt regarding the motives of tho donors or recipients the Government did not feel able to intervene, but money remitted to further a general strike was on a different footing. He had stopped one hundred thousand sent for fomenting an illegal attack on tho community.

Resuming the debate oil Mr Giuliani’s motion' for rejection of the Finance Bill, Mr Snowden said the main reason of the motion was that the Bill only proposed an expenditure which was not only excessive, hut was to a great extent to be used for wrong purposes. During his eighteen months of the Chancellorship, Mr Churchill had succeeded in raising the national expenditure by thirty millions, part' whereof was accountable by the coal •subsidy which was all a result of the Government’s inability to deal with the coal crip is. Consequently the whole twenty-four millions subsidy was worse than wasted. Dealing with preference he said he was tired of hearing the Conservatives claiming a

monopoly in Imperialism. A preferential tariff might cause an estrangement between Britain and other parts of the Empire. They were not going to develop Empire trade by a paltry ten, twenty or thirty-three per cent, preference. Lalmurites objected to stabilising preference for ten years, because it was deluding the dominions. If Labour came into office they would not consider itself hound thereby.

-Hon AW Churchill, in reply, divulged that the Government anticipated the betting tax would, diminish credit betting -by fifty millions, but would still yield a revenue of six millions. Finally, anticipated an easement of the financial situation next year. Alluding to Air Runciman’s estimate of strike losses, he said his own estimate of three-quarters of a million represented only direct expenditure, lie believed actually it would work oufr substantially less and if the coal stoppage ended in the present month, there would be no need for a supplementary budget or increased taxation in the present year. There remained the injury to- the' national wealth whch was reparable or irreparable, according to the length of the coal stoppage. The outlook was not grave but was grim and must, he faced with our accustomed resolution. Anything was better than allowing industries to go on. on an utterly uneconomic foundation. If there is any suffering the miners will have to bear their share, blit he hoped the matter would lie settled before any vital injury was done.

The.-motion was rejected and the hill read a second time by 321 to 117. /

On the adjournment Air Henderson alleged victimisation by the Government department arising out of the strike, including dismissals and reductions in wages which was a serious departure from the strict letter and spirit of Air Baldwin’s repeated declarations. Hon McNeil, replying, denied such a violation. Out of 125,000 industrial employees in the Government services, only a thousand were being dealt with. Those who broke their contract deliberately could not complain if they were dismissed summarily, but that was not being done. The Government really was shewing forbearance and a great measure of generosity.