CONCILIATION URGED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVIII, Issue 10943, 15 June 1927, Page 5

CONCILIATION URGED

LABOUR IN BRITAIN. PROVISIONS OF TRADES BILL. DEBATE IN THE COMMONS. (A.P.A and "Sud" Cables). (Received TnTs Day, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, June 14. In the House of Commons, Sir L. Scott (Conservative), in committee on the Trade Union. Bill, proposed a new clause making illegal any strike or lockout in an essential industry prior to or during reference of the dispute to a conciliation tribunal. This, he said, was an attempt at something constructive in the direction of the settlement of disputes. Mr J. R. Clynes (Labour) said that if the Government wanted industrial harmony it would have to proceed on the lines of the new clause instead of the introduction of a Bill which had gone far to crush the spirit of conciliation.

Mr Lloyd George (Liberal) agreed that it was unfortunate to link safe conciliation proposals' with such a provocative Bill. If the Government introduced the Bill on the lines of Sir Leslie Scott's proposal it would be worth tons of Trade Union Bills. EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS. LABOUR AMENDMENT DEFEATED. (Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, June 13. "When the House of Commons went into Committee on the Trades Union Bill Mr Arthur Henderson (Labour) moved an amendment to the definitions clause providing that the expression "Trade Union" should include associations of employers. Labour members contended that bodies like the Brewers' Society and the Federation of Employers, which dispensed large funds for political purposes, ought to be on the same footing as trade unions regarding political levies. The amendment was defeated by 190 votes to 77. Colonel Gretton (Conservative) moved an amendment classing. as political funds moneys used to pay the election expenses of members of the House of Commons and municipalities and to finance newspapers. Sir Thomas Inskip (Solicitor-General) said that while he did not view the amendment unsympathetically, the Government did not desire to open up a needlessly wide field of controversy. Sir Henry Slesser (Labour) said the amendment showed the real nature of the opposition to trades unions' activities.

The amendment was withdrawn.