HAPPENINGS IN BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1942, Page 5

HAPPENINGS IN BRITAIN

LABOUR PARTY’S TROUBLES

PARLIAMENTARIANS TOO OLD?

(N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) (Recd. 1.40 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 13. Parliament in recess, black-out now at 9 p.m. instead of 11 p.m., compulsory fire-watching for women, and the 8.8.C.’s ban on “slush” music, — are among the domestic topics of conversation in Britain to-day. Coincident with Parliament going into recess, the “Manchester Guardian” commented on the elderliness of members of the Labour Party, who are in the House of Commons. Fewer than one-fifth of the members are under 50 years of age, one reason being the T.U.C. preference for electing trade union officials of long experience. This has led to the comment that unless the Labour Party tackles the question of the selection of younger Parliamentary candidates its political existence is threatened. An article in the “New Statesman and Nation” expressed the opinion that the future of the Labour Party is among the major uncertainties of British politics. “There are no serious observers of its life who are not aware of its critical condition. Its loss of membership is heavy, and its power to recruit youth tragically small. It has an ageing party in the House, and hardly more than four or five of its leaders have any appeal in the country.” “The bulk of the candidates for the next election are middle-aged men and women who have lost the first, fine, careless, rapture of crusading. It does not possess a dozen men who could fill a hall in any large centre of production. The second party in the State is openly discussed as a failure..

Enquiring what has happened, the article suggests that the Party’s leadership is gravely inadequate, that it has accepted a position of tragic subordination in the present Government, while it has .suffered in public opinion through its high-age composition. Putting back the clocks one hour meant the long twilight has vanished and that the black-out curtains are in use again. It was a coincidence that in London there were several alerts, chiefly in the early hours of of the morning, recalling the blitz. Compulsory fire-watching for women reflects the call-up of men for the forces. The chief reaction so fails that women should receive the same compensation as men if they are injured, which does not apply at present. The Germans have recently dropped a new phosphorous incendiary, causing injuries if people do not apply grease or ointment. The 8.8. C. recently decided that “drooling, sentimental” songs should no longer be broadcast, but be replaced by bright, cheerful tunes—a lead, incidentally, followed in America. There has been a minor controversy as to what constitutes “slush” and the Music Publishers’ Association have asked for a definition. They also expect a boom in old ballads. There was no ceremony for _ the opening of the new Waterloo Bridge in London, and where in peacetime there would have been an array of officialdom there was merely a flurry of half-a-dozen cyclists followed by taxicabs. But the workmen reserved cheers lor the first busload of office workers. The bridge will shortly be opened for pedestrians. With large numbers of Americans seen daily, the people of Britain are now more conscious than at any other time of the war of America. Amencans of all the forces are now Quite a common sight, while the newspapers report their activities. United States bomber units will shortly be operating, while fighter units have already made contact with the Germans. '

POPLAR BY-ELECTION. RUGBY, August 13. H. Guy (Labour) was elected M.P. for South Poplar by a majority of 2,384 in the by-election caused by the death of D. M. Adams (Labour). FOOD RATIONS RUGBY, August 11. Announcing that biscuits would come under the “points” rationing system on August 23, and that the sweets and chocolate ration would be increased by one-third, the Minister of Food (Lord Wootten) said the Government had succeeded in reducing the shipping space while keeping the nation fighting fit. He warned the public that with the demands on shipping what they were, he would have to make other reductions later. The supply of food must depend on the shipping available, and he had just reduced his demands for space because of the greater proportion required for the direct prosecution of the war. This did not_ necessarily mean a reduction in rations, because space was being saved by various methods. For instance, the boning of imported meat, which enabled the meat ration to be maintained. WOMEN TERRITORIALS. RUGBY, August 13. The Queen recently inspected the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Services’ Centres and a junior officers school in the southern command. Her Majesty expressed pleasure at the goodwill and skill with which the personnel were applying themselves to their tasks, and said she was greatly impressed with the splendid esprit de corps built up. HARVEST LABOUR RUGBY, August 13. The importance of this year’s harvest is emphasised by instructions issued to Home Guard commtanders not to arrange any protracted exercises before getting in touch with the War Agricultural Committees. Agricultural labourers in the Home Guard should not be given any drills or duties, which interfere with agricultural work.

SMALLPOX OUTBREAK (Recd. 1 August 12. Sir Wilson Jameson issued a statement: “We have been fortunate regarding the smallpox outbreak in Britain. There were 41 cases and eight deaths. All cases except four occurred in the Glasgow area. The smallpox was of a very bad typo, it says a great deal for the way the outbreak was handled, that it did not spread more.”. Sir W. Jameson added that the Government was highly satisfied with the nation’s health generally.