READ SECOND TIME

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 851, 20 December 1929, Page 9

READ SECOND TIME

BRITISH COALMINES BILL 281 VOTES TO 273 United r.A. —By Tclcgrap h —Copyriy/if Reed. 2 p.m. LONDON. Thursday. The Coalmines Bill was read a second time, by 281 voles to 273, in the House of Com mo ist Earlier.! The President of the Board of Trudi . Mr. William Graham in moving the second reading of the Coalmines Dill yesterday in the House of Commons, in which the members’ benches and special galleries wore crowded, spoke for an hour and a-half. His speech was delivered without a single uote to assist him.

It is praised by the Opposition papers not only for its conciliatory frankness, but as an outstanding Parliamentary achievement, displaying a most intimate knowledge of an intricate question. The newspapers say Mr. Graham's speech was in particular addressed to the Liberals, in the hope of securing their support for the measure. The Liberal spokesman. Sir Herbert Samuel, who was chairman of the Coal Commission of four years ago. and is a recognised authority on the subject, adversely criticised tlie details of the Government's scheme, which he said was wholly contrary to the report of his commission. He emphasised the need for power to compel colliery amalgamations, in place of the proposal to establish a commission to study the question of amalgamations.

Sir Herbert concluded by addressing a series of specific questions on the Bill, which were answered later by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Mines, Mr. Een Turner. They are being considered by the Liberal leaders today.

The newspapers anicip.ited that the Liberals would not oppose the second reading, which will be taken tomorrow. but at a meeting of the Liberal Party it was decided to vote against the second reading of the Bill, unless the Government gave satisfactorv assurances on the points that Sir Herbert Samuel raised yesterday. These were especially the failure to insist on consolidation, and a redaction of the producing units, and the creation or vested interests in small mines.