WHITE LEAD

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 146, 21 June 1924, Page 8

WHITE LEAD

BILL IN HOUSE OF COMMONS

PERSONALITIES IN DEBATE.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPfRIGBT.)

(AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION".)

(Received 21st June, noon.)

LONDON, 20th June.

■ Mr. Rhys Davis moved in the House of Commons the second reading of the Lead Paint Bill, which ratifies the International Labour Convention adopted at Geneva in November, 1921. The Bill prohibits the use of lead paint for interior painting after 19th November. The mover said that both master painter and the men were in favour of the Bill. He quoted statistics of fatalities from lead-poisoning.

Mr. Harney, in moving the rejection of the Bill, declared that there was no substitute for lead paint. Mr. Grenfell, seconding the motion for rejection, alleged that Mr. M. Thomas, Director of the International Labour Bureau, was biased in favour of the zinc industry, and contended that the passing of the Bill would result in an increase in the price of zinc, which would be used instead of white lead. This would increase the cost of painting, and would throw.the white lead workers out of employment.

Mr. Harney subsequently withdrew his motion, and the Bill passed the second reading. „

Mr. Arthur Henderson, Home Secretary, strongly deprecated Mr. Grenfell's attack on' Mr. Thomas, and repudiated the suggestion of bias. He said that if Clause 1 of the Bill; enacting the prohibition, was deleted in Committee, he would still proceed with the remainder of the Bill, which provides for tlie regulation of the use of white lead paint.