INSURANCE FOR UNEMPLOYED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1185, 21 July 1911, Page 5

INSURANCE FOR UNEMPLOYED.

o AN INTERESTING DEBATE. CHANCELLOR PRESSED TO REMIT ARREARS. COMPROMISE ACCEPTED. Dy TclcEt'-iDh—Press Association—OopyrteM (Kcc. July 20, 10.90 p.m.) London, July 20. During the debate in tho House of Commons on the National Insurance Bill, Mr. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, was greatly harassed by critics on the Liberal and Labour benches asking for more concessions. Mr. Lees Smith's amendment aroused oxcited interest. Its aim is to relievo a contributor who falls into arrears through unemployment from his liability to make good tho arrears of tho contributions which tho employers would have paid had he been working. Mr. Lees Smith predicted that if contributors were compelled to pay up arrears before regaining benefits odium might, bo cast on tho Bill and the scheme wrecked. He contended that a State grunt of ,£150,000 ought to, be made. Mr. Lloyd-George said the State was unable to bear this additional burden. Tho proposal was impracticable, and would encourage tho thriftless. Mr. Shcrwcll (Liberal) declared that the Chancellor would deprive tho most helpless of their due. Unless tho amendment was accepted the poor and tho destitute would bo sadly disappointed. Sir C. A. Cripps, Mr. AY. Peel (Unionist), Mr, Harwood (Liberal), and Rowntrce (Liberal) pressed Mr. Lloyd-Gtorge to make the concession. Mr. Lloyd-George. then proposed a compromise, namely, that Friendly Societies should be given the right to pay the contributions which in ordinary cases would be paid by the employers. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald. Leader of the Labour party, strenuously opposed this, declaring that the State ought to come to the unemployed contributors' assistance. Mr. Lloyd-George refused to yield, and warned the Liberals that if tho amendment was carried it might mean not merely the defeat of the Government, but the defeat of the Bill. Tho amendment was negatived, tho voting being:— For the amendment 163 ' Against tho amendment 116 , Majority against .'. 47 Afterwards Mr. Lloyd-George's compromise was carried by 210 votes to 77 against. A FRIENDLY SOCIETY COMPLAINT. (Rec. July 20, 9.30 p.m.) London, July 20. Tho Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows have resolved that Mr. LloydGcorge's refusal not to allow sick pay under the Insurance Bill for the first three days of an illness is most detrimental to Friendly Societies. Tho Order will possibly relinquish it's desire to become an approved society under the Bill. Mr. Lloyd-George's refusal is due to a desire to prevent malingering.