PROHIBITED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1927, Page 7

PROHIBITED.

CIVIL SERVANTS.

Barred From Trade Union

Membership.

CLAUSE PASSED.

(By Cable.—Press Association.—-CppjTlsht)

LONDON, May 31

The debate on the Trade Disputes and Trade Union Bill in the committee stage was continued yesterday in the House of Commons. Clause 5, dealing with civil servants, was moved.

This prohibits civil servants from being members of any trade union, unless that body is confined to persons employed under the Crown and is independent of any outside trade union or federation of trade unions.

It also must not be associated directly or indirectly with any political party. Should any established civil servant knowingly'break this regulation he will be disqualified from continuing to be a member of the civil service.

Commander J. M. Kenworthy (Lab., Hull) moved to exclude those engaged in occupations analogous to outside services. He said the civil service unions had been affiliated with the Trade Union Congress for 30 years without any untoward result.

Mr. C. G. Aniraon (Lab., Carcberwell North) eaid no civil service in any part of the world, including the Dominions, imposed such an embargo.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Churchill, claimed that the clause was likely to become increasingly popular. It aimed only at checking unwholesome influences which bad been creeping in during the past few years. The civil service ought not to be allowed to become entangled in party politics. Hβ was glad that only 40 civil servants out of 120,000 had been guilty of disloyalty during the general strike.

The Labour amendment was defeated by 201 votes to 109. The guillotine was then applied, the clause was passed, and the House adjourned. — (A. and N.Z. and Sydney "Sun.")