BRITISH POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 73, 16 March 1908, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN'S BILL.

A VIGOROUS DEBATE.

THE BILL DEFEATED.

Received 15th, 5.8. p.m.

t ii t, London, "March 14. In tiie House of Commons, Mr. l'hilli, Snowden Wilson moved the second read »■?, °L "i 0 u " w "P lo yed Workmen's Bill. Much public interest was displayed.

Mr. Wilson, in explaining the root (wrtl principle of the Bill, said the problem of the unemployed must be regard^ ed as a national matter.

Mr. Ramsay McDonald seconded, claiming that the measure was only an extension of the legislation of 1005, which gave the unemployed hope of State employment. It was a mistake for the Liberals to fancy that they heard the nimble of the timbrel of socialism. No latetul results would follow this Labor demand. Th e cost would not exceed that ol one Dreadnought annually. Mr. K Maddisou moved an amendment, alhrmiii'g that the Bill would throw out of work more than it would assist, and would also destroy the power of organised labor. H e censured the (Socialists for telling the people that there was a way by which everybody could get work, and for advocating ruinous and disastrous land schemes. State control of lives must follow the recognition (if the right to have work, which was an interference no freedom-loving people would tolerate.

Mr. Victor Grayson said that if the Government were unable to solve the unemployment question, they ought to resign. The money needed could he obtained by bursting the bags of the wiealthy. which were filled with unearned 'increment.

Mr. John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, in a vigorous and argumentative speech, repudiated the charge that nothing bud been done for the poor. No other country, ha said, would hare spent so much by way of relief on the poor, nor would people of other countries have interested themselves so whole-heartedly to assist the indigent. Keferring to th e failure of larm colonies, he stated that the Holiesby Bay farm involved a loss of £22,000 a year. He gave striking illustrations of th 6 unsatisfactory results of such m* tUods of assisting the unemployed. A few local authorities desired powers the Bill conferred, but lie was confident such legislation would prove a delusion and a snare.

Mr. H. H. Asqulth, Chancellor of the Exchequer, declared that acceptance of the main principle of the Bill would be move prejudicial to the workers than to

any other class. It would vastly aggravate unemployment, and ultimately would necessitate complete State control of the whole machinery of production, The Bill was rejected by 265 to 110, and the amendment carried by 241 to 05. There was much cross-voting. The majority against the Bill was composed of 105 Ministerialists and 70 Unionists. The minority included 4B Laborites, 20 Nationalists, and two Unionists, and a number of Radicals. The South Australian Premier attended the debate.

MINERS' EIGHT HOURS BILL. London, Marea 13. Mr. Herbert Gladstone, Home Secretary, in receiving a deputation representing the Shipping Federation and the railway companies denied that the Miner*' Eight Hours Bill would cause an increase of Is Od to 2s per ton in the price of coal. He admitted, however, that it would curtail the output. The Bill, he said, must be amended in some points.