THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 8, 9 July 1931, Page 8

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Contrary to general expectations, the Government did not force tho remaining stage's of the Unemployment Amendment Bill through in one sitting. When the House mot yesterday afternoon the Prime Minister asked . for urgency for the committee and third reading stages of the Bill, and it was anticipated that there would be no break in the proceedings until the measure was passed. However, members were very talkative on the "short title, "which gives them scope to talk on any provisions of the Bill or any of tho problems it seeks to solve, and when this was passed on the voices at 12.45 this morning, the Prime Minister moved an adjournment until 2.30 this afternoon. Por the most part the discussion was confined to points raised during the second reading. Notice of severaL minor amendments to the Bill was given by the Minister of Labour, and quite a.sheaf of suggested alterations by private members —princijially Labour—were circulated. The debate revealed Reform opposition to the principle of taxing women without a definite assurance that work would be provided, but it is considered unlikely in the lobbies that the Government will be embarrassed on this issue, as the Opposition does not intend to press for the> exclusion of women, while the Labour Party, although dissatisfied with the absence of a definite policy, will not take risk of women being kept any longer outside the scope of the legislation. The Minister of Labour gave a clear indication that sustenance will not be paid, even to women.