IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 296, 9 May 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

THE CABINET AND HOME RULE. By Ofcble—Press Association—Copyright. London, May 7. Mr. Asquith emphatically denied that there was any difference of opinion in the Cabinet regarding Home Rule. He declared that the land Purchase Act in Ireland and the conferring on Ireland of old-age pensions and invalidity insurance had strengthened the material ties, binding the two countries and rendering separation unthinkable. He concluded "by saying that no Cabinet had ever been more steadily united oil all great issues. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE INTERVIEWED. London, May 7. Mr. Lloyd-George, in an interview, said that 30 per cent of the pauperism was due to 6ickness, hence if patients could be prevented from becoming chronic invalids and rescued from the grip of the poor law the present cost of pauperism would be largely diverted and more effectively utilised. The Bill would affect 270,000 domestics in London, of whom 250,000 were females. Women workers who marry insured men would be allowed to rejoin upon widowhood, even if over, the age of 55. Men whose wages rose above 60s per week would be allowed to remain members if they paid the employers' threepence in addition to their own fourpence weekly. The officials of Messrs Harland and Wolff, the great Belfast shipbuilders, (tate that the scheme will cost the firm '£12,500 annually, and that wages must therefore be reduced or prices increased. The Spectator fears that malingering, both as regards sickness and unemployment, is likely to be stimulated.

A LABOR MEMBER'S CRITICISM. Received 8, 9.20 p.m. London, May 8. Mr. Phil. Snowden, M.P.. addressing the workers at Blackburn, said the contribution fixed under the Invalidity Bill was proportionately too high. He complained of the smallness of the maintenance allowed women, and suggested dropping the unemployment section of the Bill for this year.