BRITISH PARLIAMEHT.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1927, Page 2

BRITISH PARLIAMEHT.

ANTI-LABOUR BILL. tAustralian. iV _\’.Z. Cable Association. J .LONDON, April J. In the House of Commons the Trade nisplite and trade l niolts 11 1 11 lias read the first time. The Hill stipulates that any strike having any object besides the furtherance of a trade disptiio within the industry in which the st ti k; is are engaged is illegal if it is designed, or is calculated, to coerce the. Government or to intimidate any substantial portion of the community. The Hill lavs down a penalty ol two vents’ imprisonment, lor the instigators ul and participators in strikes that are declared illegal. The Hill forbids intimidatory picketing. It prohibits the picketing of nonstrikers’ residences, under a penalty ol twenty pounds sterling, tiisu ot three montiis’ imprisonment. .1.1 cnee for th. under the Hill, it will he illegal lo require any trade unionist to contribute to a political fund unless ho apt eithnllv agrees to do so in writing. The Kill stipulates that the political funds of the Trade I'nions must he kept separate from their ordinary funds. Civil servants are forbidden to beto any Trade I'nions which cater mi unn-civil servants, or which .ille affiliated to organisations or to federation, the whole of whose membership is not confined to persons employed nndet the Crown, or to organisations I,tiling political objects. ’finally, the Royal and other public authorities are iorhiikien to make any employment conditional upon the workers' na inher.-liip of any trade l nion, or to in any way favour Trade Cnion employees. The Rill lays down a penalty of ten pounds sterling, or three mouths, imprisonment, for any breach of contract, of service with a local or a public authority. The pioposed Act does apply to Xort hern I refund. LONDON". April f>. Retore the 1 .ahour members of Parliament saw the Government’s Trade Cnion and Disputes Kill, they had decided to light it, line by line. Since seeing it s text, 1 heir determination lias been intensified. Tin.. Dili proves to be far more comprehensive in its reach than lias been anticipated even by tlie Conservative press. There has been but one opinion aanmg tin: Labour .Members of the House <;f Commons, says the Daiiy Tet’egniph,” and it is that “ this opens a battle royal.’’ The second reading ol the Dili is not expected before Easter, but the Labour .Members already are preparing a joint national campaign, by both the Political and the Industrial sections of the party. The Conservative opinion cordiali’y approves of the hill. The Liberal papers “ Daily News,” and ” Daily Chronicle, ’’ do not comment LONDON. April 5. The Labour paper, the “ Daily Herald.” regards a claim in the Government’s 'Trade Union and Disputes Kill headed “Prevention of Intimidation,” as being probably the most contentious position. The “ Herald ” expresses the opinion that this clause imposes such restrictions on picketing as leaves the Courts at liberty to declare almost any sort of picketing to ho illegal. fti this connection, it may he stated that the bill defines •‘intimidation” as meaning “to cause in • a person’s mind any reasonable apprehension of injury to himself or to any member of bis family, or of danger to his property.” The definition in the Kill of the term injury ” includes “ physical injury, boycott, loss of any kind, or exposure to hatred, ridicule or contempt.” LONDON, April -j. Referring to the Trades Disputes Kill editonally, the “Daily Herald” says: “This anuv'.ing measure has been introduced without a mandate. Ihe Government dare not submit the Kilt to ;i Genera? Election. It is not even the fruit of consideration by a Royat Commission. It is purely an irresponsible measure that has been tormented by the Tory organisations and by employers. and it had been plotted in the Cabinet while Air Baldwin was making hyprocritical speeches about ‘Goodwill and Peace ’ in industry. The Government lias made its own doom doubly sure. This Kill will lead to such a revival of working-class activity that Mr Baldwin and bis associates will have caused' to regret their stupidity.”

Ht. Hon. Arthur Henderson says the Trades Disputes Pill "is a direct attack upon the 'Trades Cnioiis,” and that “it is a challenge to the workers.”