BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1931, Page 5

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE. MR CHURCHILL’S ATTITUDE. I United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] LONDON, November 11. In the Commons, Mr Attlee, resuming the debath on the address, protested against the Ministerial scares during the election campaign, relating to the safety of the Post Office Savings Bank.. •

Mr Churchill said that he intended to maintain an' independent a/ttitude towards the trimvirate head of the Ministry, Messrs MacDonald Baldwin and Samuel. He would not withhold Ills advice, or counsel, but would show discriminating benevolence towards the Ministry. (Laughter). He desired to pay a tribute to Mr MacDonald's inestimable services to the country, for the Prime Minister had recently done more' than anyone else to check the growth of Socialism, which had led the country to .tin© verge of catastrophe. Mr Churchill hoped that /the Government would . use every means to induce countries hoarding gold to make it again .serviceable. The electors had overwhelmingly decided to abandon free trade, and had givrn the Government a free hand for a isdilemtlific experiment of protection.

Though a lifelong free trader, he had beeen forced recently to abandon the system, and recognise that protection must he given a fair chance. PRECEDENCE FOR GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. RUGBY, November 11. The Cabinet had a meeting to-day. When the House of Commons assembled this afternoon, Mr Baldwin, immediately after the questions, introduced a motion for giving precedence to Government 'business for the rest of the session, and the first division in the new Parliament was taken on the motion which was carried by 378 votes to, nine.-

During question time Sir J. Simon (Foreign Minister’) made a statement on. the Manchurian situation.