BRITISH POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1931, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

LABOUR UNIONS. AGAINST GOVERNMENT POLICY. [United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright]. LONDON, August 21. It is generally agreed that to-day the Government has experienced a had day, and that it has had to face candid criticism from both friends and opponents in the Trade Union Geneial Council, which sat in continuous session for nine hours. The “Daily Express” says:—Mr Ramsay MacDonald gave the joint meeting only an outline of the Government’s proposals. A trade union representative who was present said, afterwards, that these proposals were no different from what he had read m the papers. There was, he said, no mention of a revenue tariff until someone inquired about it. The reply, he said, was: “Tariffs are in the air. We have not made a decision yet.”

The “Daily Express” adds: —Mr Snowden (Chancellor of the Exchequer) is pessimistic, and he refused to disclose the details of his taxation plans. It is understood that tile Dole economies are the chief cause of a difference that exists between the Trade Unions and the Cabinet, The “Daily Mail” says:—“The Trades Unions Congress bluntly told the Government that its proposals were not acceptable to the trades unions. / ARMY PAY CUT, LONDON, August 21. The “Daily Telegraph” understands that thp Army Council lias decided upon economies in the pay and the pensions of the Army, and also in the subsidies fop motor vehicles and horse breeding, The economies decided on total one and a,-half millions sterling. CO-OPERATION UNCERTAIN. LONDON, August 21. The Cabinet meeting concluded tonight. The Economic Committee then received the Trade Union w Congress delegation. Political circles are of the opinion that the chief Conservative objection to the Government proposals is on the score of weakness on their economy side, while the Cabinet itself is sharply divided as regards the ways and means of economv.

The question of co operation between the three parties is still in the balance until it becomes certain that the Government will go further in the direction of economies. CONSERVATIVE STATEMENT.

Referring to the inter-party conference, Sir Samuel Hoare, interviewed, stated that they had a preliminary interchange of opinions in a frank, free and informal talk.; They had figures sumbitted by the Government, and although they surveyed a very wide field, the survey had not . yet .... been comprehensive. A 'Solution of the crisis demanded economy, which presupposed sacrifices by all classes.

Sir Samuel Ho are added that since the conference he and Mr Chamberlain had been in communication with Mr Baldwin, who is at Aix-Les-Bains. They also consulted*-other colleagues! The Conservatives are most anxious to- co-operate in national emergency.