IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 22, 24 January 1913, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

THE TRADE UNION BILL. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (United Press Association.) London, January 23. The House of Lords debated the Trades Disputes Bill. Several Conservatives and three Liberals appealed for a revival of trade union liability. Lord Haldane offered no hope of amending the Bill. THE DISESTABLISHMENT BILL. The House of Commons has concluded the Committee stage of the Disestablishment Bill, except the schedules. THE TORCH CASE. London, January 23. Mr. Archer Slice moved the adjournment of the House to discuss the question of the Torch and the liornetheus. He complained of Captain Carver’s supervision. The Admiralty did not know, of the Torch s terrible disrepair at the time of the decision. The service would suffer if officers were dismissed because of their independence to state facts. Mr Aicher She© asked 'hat e ca-e .-.hould bo reinvestigated. r lbe capia*n lad u splendid record, and si. on id not be superseded merely upon the reports of newspapers. Mr Churchill said that the dockyard and captain and officials had been censured. The Admiralty was not blame-worthy. There was no reason for a searching enquiry. Mr Archer Slice’s information was of a partisan character. (Opposition cries of “No flattery.”) He displayed a portion of the Torch’s bottom. Mr Churchill said that Ministers were not going to bo bullied or intimidated. Captain Carver had been superseded because he inflicted 123 punishments in three months, and was unfit to be in sole charge of the happiness of the crew. Mr Churchill continued that one of the Torch’s men had been illegally sentenced to a week in cells in the iefrigerating room.

(Received 9.5 a.m.) London, January 23. Mr. J. H. Whitehouse (L.) gave notice of motion to move drawing the. Admiralty’s attention to disciplinary measures on the Torch. THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME (Received 9.0 a.m.) London, January 23. It is understood that if Sir E. Grey s amendment is defeated, the Government will withdraw the Franchise Bill and proceed with the Bakers’ Bill and abolish plural voting. THE FRANCHISE BILL. THE PINPRICKS OF THE PAST. (Received 9.5 a.m.) London, January 23. ' Working women delegates representing school teachers, nurses, laundresses, and others, deputationisod Mr. Lloyd George and threatened that the past militancy would be a pinprick compared with the future. Ihey disbelieved the Premier’s pledge that the Franchise Bill would be carried. Mr. Lloyd George replied that he was authorised to state that if any woman’s amendment was incorporated the Government would carry it through. Sir E. Grey states he and Mr.-, Lloyd George preferred Mr. Dickenson’s amendment, but if defeated, they kould vote for other amendments.