Rowdy Scenes

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 984, 29 May 1930, Page 11

Rowdy Scenes

HOT WORDS IN PARLIAMENT Tension in Labour Party Conservative Motion is Defeated STORMY scenes were enacted in the House of Commons during an all-night sitting on the Finance Bill, when the “Dead March” was whistled and speakers were howled down by their opponents. Tension in the Labour Party continues, mainly on account of the uncertain attitude of some members on the unemployment question.

V nit ed P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 10.5 a.m. LONDON, Wednesday. The House of Commons rose at S o’clock this morning', after an allnight sitting of 17 hours. Trouble arose out of a discussion whether the debate on the Finance Bill should be continued two hours after midnight, or till 5 o’clock. Sir Austen Chamberlain and Mr. Winston Churchill moved to report progress. Mr. Philip Snowden, Chancellor of the Exchequer, refused, and a noisy discussion proceeded for several hours, Labour members howling down Conservative speakers, and some whistling the “Dead March.” The closure was moved several times Mr. Snowden was accused of maintaining a stony silence. He retorted: “The only contributions you have made to the debate are insults and buffoonery.” Finally the House rose after passing five clauses out of the 47 in the Bill. HOSTILE MOTION REJECTED Several meetings were held in the House of Commons preliminary to today’s division on the unemployment question. The 15 members of the Labour Party who did not support the Government last week, after prolonged discussion today, decided to await the Ministerial statement before choosing their line of action. The debate ended finally in the defeat of an adverse amendment moved by Mr. Stanley Baldwin, by 270 votes to 241. VOICE OF TRADE UNIONS RELATIONS WITH DOMINIONS Reed. 10.20 a.m. LONDON, Wednesday. Tbe “Daily Mail” says the Economic Committee of the Trade Union Congress General Council has drawn up a remarkable report urging that it would be in the interests of the trade union movement for the Labour Party at the Imperial Conference to press for the fullest possible development of economic relations between Britain and the Dominions, including the creation of machinery and agreements with the Dominions for the further development of inter-Commonwealth trade.

The committee points out that among the factors favouring the establishment of a British Commonwealth economic group is the fact thqf.

the supplies of raw materials and manufactured goods could be balanced and that there is an abundance of opportunity for the movements of the population within. CONSERVATIVE WIN BY-ELECTION RESULT Reed. 11.35 a.m. LONDON, Wednesday. The by-election for Nottingham Central caused by the resignation of Sir A. J. Bennett, Conservative, resulted:— T. J. O'Connor (Con.) . . 14,946 A. E. Waterson (Labour) 7,923 R. C. Berkley (Liberal) . 4.64 S At the General Election the Nottingham Central returns were as outlined below:—A. J. Bennett (Con.). 14.571; Mrs. E. Barton (Labour), 11,573: A. Brampton (Liberal), 5.738. EFFECT OF LABOUR SPLIT LONDON, May 21. The critical moment in the Mosley drama —the resignation from the Government of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Sir Oswald Mosley, on the unemployment issue—came at 3 p.m. yesterday, when Lady Cynthia Mosley hurried through the central lobby of the House of Commons. choking back her tears. It is understood that Lady Cynthia had been acting as mediator between her husband and the Prime Minister, Mr. MacDonald, for the last three days, and broke down when the rupture occurred. Lady Cynthia's position is most difficult. She has been a close friend of Mr. MacDonald and Miss Ishbel MacDonald ever since she joined the Labour Party, and since Mr. MacDonald became Prime Minister she has acted as hostess for him in the House of Commons and in difficult social affairs needing the pilotage of an experienced society woman. The work of Lady Cynthia, behind the scenes at the Naval Conference was invaluable, her close friendship with prominent society hostesses securing the right kind of Invitations at critical moments. It this breach is personal as well as political, Mr. MacDonald is likely to feel the loss of Lady Cynthia’s skilled help rather than her husband's support. She is the daughter of the late Marquess Curzon of Kedlestone.