A BILL INTRODUCED IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 7

A BILL INTRODUCED IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

LONDON, 22nd February. A Sweated Industries Bill was introduced in the House of Commons y-es-lerday. Tho measnre was welcomed by all sections of the House. The Right Hon. H. Gladstone, Home Secretary, accepted a proposal to send ihe Bill to, a Select Committee after its second reading, but intimated that the Government would' not be committed to the principle of a compulsory minimum wage. Mr. C. P. Allen (Liberal member for the Stroud Division of Gloucestershire), Mr. E. A. Villiers (Liberal member for Brighton), and others eulogised Australasian r?gulations for dealing with industrial differences. The second reading of the Bill was agreed to, and the measure- was sent to the Select Committee ori Home Work. Mr. Gladstone caid ho thought the Victorian system would stand the test of timo, bnt so far it had not been tested. Some of 'the machinery of the Victorian Act was necessary to make a piactical measure. It would be extremely hard to provide a workable remedy for sweating, but expcrimeXtal legislation was justifiable owing to the wretchedness of tho workers. The National .Liberal Federation is t -u1310?u 1310 ? f ? r nat % al purposes of all the Liberal Associations throughout England and Wnles. The whole federation represents and give? effect to the ascortamed opinions of th© rank" and file 0 m P. art>y iH the constituencies. The Small Holdings (England) Act, passed in the nutumn session of 1907, provides for the appointment of special commissions who, acting under the directions of tho board, shall ascertain the extent to which there is a demand for small holdings or would bo a demand it suitable land were available, and the exttnt to which it is reasonably practicable to supply any such demand, and for that purpose shall confer with the County Councils, and may co-oper-ate with such other authorities, associations, and persons as they think best qualified to assist them. 'The commissioners shall report to the board, who H{ of opinion that a scheme should be made, shall forward the report, with any modification they think desirable, to tho County Council, and the County Council shall prepare ono or more draft schemes to give effect to the report. It shall be the duty of the County Council to carry schemes into effect, and if they fail so to fulfil their obligations, the board shall direct the commissioners to take steps for carrying the scheme into effect. A county council may purchase or take Jand 'in. lease for small holdings, and, if difficulty arises, may acquire land compulsorily. The _ Scottish 'Bill mentioned in the foregoing ca;bjo message is a privato one introduced by (ho Earl of C'flmperdown in the Houso of Lords. It desired to avoid the provision for a Land Court, divided ownership, and other contentious features of the Government Bill.