TRADE DISPUTES BILL

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 January 1931, Page 7

TRADE DISPUTES BILL

DEBATE IN COMMONS | TEST FOR GOVERNMENT [OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, January 22. The second reading debate on the Trades Disputes Bill, which has for some months been the subject of acute controversy, opened in the House of Commons to-day. The Opposition has been aroused by the Government’s proposals to amend the Act of 1927, notably in the articles dealing with the levy by the trade unions for political and the definition of intimidation. Regarding the political levy, the bill proposed to restore contracting out, for which the recent Act substituted contracting in. This and other features were criticised at the meeting last night of the Parliamentary Liberal Party, which decided, by a majority, to abstain from voting on the second reading, and to press for amendments when the Bill reached the Committee stage.

Moving in the House the second reading of.the Bill upon which a division will be taken on Tuesday, the Attorney-General, Sir William Jowitt, said that strikes and lockouts were barbarous methods of settling industrial disputes, and were liable to inflict widespread loss and suffering. The real safeguard against revolutionary changes lay in a deeprooted belief in justice and equality all round.

Mr Baldwin moved the rejection of the Bill. The debate is proceeding.

LIBERALS IN QUANDARY

(Recd. Jan. 24, 9 a.m.) LONDON, January 23.

In view of the dependence of the Labour Government on the Liberals, especially for the passage of the Trades Disputes Bill, an article by a Liberal back-bencher in the “Morning Post” is significant.

He says that every day he is asked “Why don’t you turn the Government out?” There is not a single Liberal who would not like to do so, but firstly we must get a little money in the party chest. Most Liberals fear that the election would mean their defeat. The writer expresses the opinion it is obvious that the Government is going tB fall before passing the Electoral Reform Bin. A question which Liberal Commoners are discussing is whether or not it is better to risk their own fate and at least gain some credit for ridding the country of the present Government.