LABOUR IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 263, 30 July 1908, Page 7

LABOUR IN BRITAIN

. UNEMPLOYED ACT. ANNUAL GBANT. (lir TELI'GEIAI'II — I'l:i:sS ASSOClATlON—cofybigiit.) London, July 28. The Workmen's Unemployed Act, 11)05, has been renewed ■ until the Poor Law Commission issues its report.'■• This was deculod on in the Honso of Commons, after Mr. John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, had threatened that, the £i!(JU,UOU a year for the relief of the unemployed would lapses if the Act oxpired. RENEWING A PALLIATIVE. , The Government opposed the advanced Unemployed Bill of'the. Labuur-party, which was rejected iir March Inst, though soma sixty Liberals voted against the Government. The stand which Mr. John liurus (President of the Local Government Board) takes up is that this class of. unemployed legislation is only a palliative, that, what is wanted is root remedies, and, that, any Stato. aid which tends to increase. ; the .'volumo of casual'labour is an evil to everyone. Apparently tho measures to which Mr. Burns loans are old age pensions, better .housing, care for children, and temperance (Bills on which subjects are before the House), and he will in the meantime make the ,£200,000 'annual, grant, under the Unemployed Act, 1805, go as far as he deems' reasonable. The "Standard" (a political opponent of the Liborals) , thus refers to his Address-in-Reply speech-on' tliis point; Mr. Burns oozed optimism. But somehow the optimism did not ring tipe. : Mr.; Burns avoided getting right in front of the problem under discussion . . . . ". "Why-do- anything until'the report of the '.Poor Lav/ continuo 'Mr. Long's .otherwise expiring Unemployed Act and spend i 200,000 a year wherever it is needed ; . .' . Hadn't ,£70,000 been spent in Imying 13.000 acres in Scotjand for afforestation?" The. abovo cablegram indicates that the Unemployed Act (which was liy' the' Unionist. Government) has been renewed. The Labour party' considers the Act" does not go nearly far'.enough, but. ovidently thinks that renewal of the authority to spend c£200,000 a year in relief is better than nothing. The Act also; makes : provision . for the formation of distress, committees, and in some cases for the setting-w.'of,- conciliation boards (without compulsory powers).' ' :