THE COTTON TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1928, Page 3

THE COTTON TRADE

MB CLVNES’ PREDICTION. (Australian A N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Feb. 14. Mr Clviies resuming the debate on tbe Labour Amendment to the Ad-drcss-iii-Reply. said he feared there was trouble ahead for the cotton trade. The employers had learned nothing from the. coal fields, but were simply repeating the ini-reused working hours, which was responsible lor all industrial disputes in recent years. He urged an impartial inquiry into cotton trade problems. Mr MacDonald said tbe Government was seeking to ac-mnimodate new industries to old, by reducing wages and heaping up the cost upon the backs of the wage earners. “Me will never accept or agree to this.” lie de-clared-hence llie amendment. Mr Rnklwiit replying said ’there is a tendency to imagine always the same million persons lmjielessly unemployed. The fact was that half a million of these had always been in recent unemployment. Within the- raW three years half a million new workers had found permanent emn'- meiit. which was a marvellous tn' u - to the elasticity of trade. In many parts ol tli-c Country, tbe standard <4 life was appreciably better than before the war. '!'(,<» J,, Awn a H'»n a 1 LnDeir fli r■ - staled real wages in Britain acre nearly double I bos- in Brussels, Rome. Vienna and Paris, and one third above Berlin. “We'can only maintain the standard ol life bv avoiding itnlustiial disputes. A national effort is fortunately being made to this end. 4 lie real problem at the present time is the transference of workers from the blackspots to better areas, which is being given close attention.” The Premier said lie Imped the Labourites would co-operate in thiselfoit. Commenting on the sparse attenddance of Oppositionists, Mr Baldwin declared “this shows you realise that nobody lias an immediate remedy for unemployment. If tbe people believed your indictment was true, ire would lie swept out of office to-night and you would win every bye-election, but you are not making any headway at. the polls. We shall L- ready to meet these or any other charges when the Labour whips think it will bo decent, for ns to have a general election. The Labour Amendment was defeated by 239—136. Colonel John Gretton on behalf of economy group of Ministerialists, moved an amendment regretting his Government had not promised economy relief from taxation. He admitted the cost, of fighting forces had substantially diminished except for the nil force, but the Civilian Stall’s of most departments wore swollen. Sir Frank Nelson in seconding, suggested a Select Committee under the Chairmanship of the head of one of the five big banks might discover redundancies in the Covernniont staffs. The amendment was lost by 189 84. the Ministerialists voting -with |the minority.