TRADE UNION BILL

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 May 1927, Page 11

TRADE UNION BILL

OBSTRUCTION CHECKED.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn.)

LONDON, May 13.

Owing to the Labourites’ obstruction only seven words of the Trades Disputes Bill have been discussed and passed by the House of Commons Committee in eighteen hours. The Government is therefore determined to use the guillotine on Monday, when a timetable motion will be submitted, allotting 12 days for the Committee stage, three days for the report stage, and a single day for the third reading. LORD BIRKENHEAD’S SPEECH. LONDON, May 14. “There is a great fight before the Conservatives, but we are ready for it,” said Lord Birkenhead in referring to the Trade Union Bill when addressing the Junior Imperial League. The Labourites adopted uproarious tactics. These were already reflected by the elections, where the Ministerialists were shouted down. “If they continue,” he said, “we will not be found helpless. We have the ingenuity to provide a remedy. Our opponents are imagining that we are going to fight a critical election without an opportunity of arguing the merits of the Bill. They little understand the traditions and the temper with which the Conservatives approach such a struggle.”

He said the sinister phenomenon of influential leaders taking orders from foreigners required every lover of England to rally to her under an assault from her disloyal sons.

He added that changes in the Chinese chess board had reduced M. Chen to a pawn. His best plan now would be to visit England and join the Labour extremists, and he would probably be elected to Parliament, just as Mr Saklatvala had been.