HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1927, Page 2

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

(Australian Press Association & Sun.}

LONDON, May 2. In the House of Commons, Right lion. J. It. Ciynes (Labour) speaking further on the Trade Union Bill, said : “Last year’s industrial troubles were simply being made the occasion of the present measure. This is only the lieginniitg of a struggle into which the Government has chosen to enter. The Opposition are determined to repeal this measure in whatever form it may bo passed, because it is totally opposed to the accepted principles of British justice. All the talk of the intimidation of workers is wide of what actually has happened. Less intimidation exists in the pursuit of the workingclass objects than the intimidation which the squirearchy and the landlords have practiced. There are miners who still are unemployed because they participated in the general strike.”

Out of three hundred thousand civil servants, he said, half of them received below three pounds sterling per week in salary. It was monstrous to try to sever these workers from the other sections of the workers. Ihe Labourites were a poor party financially. declared Mr Clyncs but their resources were not received trom secret channels. Labour could not offer peerages in order to secure the enormous finances of the rich men’s parties. Labour's political levy only averaged one penny per month. This measure was tyranny. Tlie Bill could not last long, for laws could not he observed unless they were based on reason and fair play between the classes, whereas this Bill sprang from class hostility and viudictivenss.

Mr Harney said that the country was not to-dav thinking of the general strike, but of conciliation, arbitration and the avoidance of strikes. This Bill was silent on that subject. The country regarded it as ungenerous and umvorthy of a party to crow over

its adversary. “A LOT OF ROBBERS.”

The Labour members’ noisiness continued till the adjournment of the debate.

Mr Griffiths, a Labour member, rose and shook his list at the Speaker, and he made a protest which was inaudible amid the disorder.

The Speaker called upon Mr Griffiths to resume his seat, thus causing the Labour members to shout: “You are a lot of thieves, robbers and blackguards !”