THE RIGHT TO WORK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3029, 28 October 1908, Page 5

THE RIGHT TO WORK.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—By EUctric Telegraph Copyricht,

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM. GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. DEBATE IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. "THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA." Received October 27, 11.10 p.m. LONDON, October 27. In the House of Commons yester day Mr Keir Hardie, on behalf of the Independent Labour Party, moved the following amendment to the Ministerial motion:— "That while recognising the importance of Mr Asquith's promise to introduce early legislation dealing with unemployment on a permanent basis, and while welcoming his promise to administer with more elasticity the existing Act, and to provide more money, this House is of opinion that his proposals are quite inadequate to meet the pressing needs of this winter; and that the absence of the proper machinery even for carrying out the existing powers, and the general unprepai-edness of the country to meet the present unemployed crisis, are due to the neglect of the Government to make provision for State affairs the need of which was clearly foreseen." After discussion the amendment was lost by 236 votes to 68. The Ministerial motion of Mr Percy Alden, Liberal and Labour member for the Tottenham division of Middlesex, which reads as follows, "That the House welcomes Mr Asquith's statement regarding the national importance of the problem of unemployment, and approves of the steps proposed therein to deal with the matter," was then put and carried by 196 votes to 35. The Speaker rejected Mr Goulrting's fiscal reform amendment on the ground that it was outside the scope of the Government proposals dealing with the present emergency. This narrowed the debate down to the question of the adequacy or inadequacy of the proposals. Mr Alden said that he hoped that the palliative 3 -vere intended to precede real and effective blows at the causes of unemployment. Mr Hardie endeavoured to belittle the Government proposals, and raised Libera] protests by remarking that everybody except the Hon. John Burns (President of the Local Government Board), who was an "old man of the sea," round the neck of the Government, knew the present crisis was coming. He contended that emigration was no longer available, and emphasised the numbers of unemployed in Canada and elsewhere. "The policy of dumping our unemployed in the colonies is straining the loyalty of many workers there," said Mr Hardie. He appealed to the Government not to leave the distribution of the grant to the Local Government Board, but to appoint a special committee of Cabinet to supervise. He threatened that if the worst came to the worst he would go out among his own people and take the responsibility of the advice he gave them. The right to live meant the right to work, and if the unemployed were unprovided for under the law they could not be asked to obey the law.

VIGOROUS DEFENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT. Received October 28, 12.25 a.m. LONDON, October 27. Messrs W. Crooks and Ramsay Macdoiiald attacked the Government. The Hon. John Burns vigorously defended the Government. Not even the Distress Committee was able to complain that money' demanded for relief work had been withheld. The crisis was not as bad as when the Employment Act was passed. The accelerating of work meant that £5,000,000 would be expended°before March next with the best agencies for work, who were also better acquainted with the deserving unemployed than the central bodyscould be. The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour strongly complained of the refusal of a two-days' debate. Referring to the unfit labour employed in special relief work he described this as contrary to freetrade principles, inasmuch as it was buying the worst goods in the dearest market. The Hon. H. H. Asquith (Prime Minister) defended the proposals as giving within immediate resources the widest and most effective relief with a minimum of risk, demoralisation and humiliation. "The old man of the sea" is a phrase but seldom heard. In the story of Sinbad bie Sa'lor "the old man of the sea" hoisted on the shoulders of Sinbad clung there and refused to dismount. Sinbad released himself from his burden by making the Old Man drunk.