COMMONS TUSSLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22210, 21 December 1946, Page 3

COMMONS TUSSLE

TRANSPORT BILL SECOND READING VOTE LIBERALS AID CHURCHILL (9 a.m.) LONDON. Dec. 20. Although the three days’ debate on the second reading of the Transport Bill plainly wearied the House of Commons by the sheer reiteration of some speeches, the size of the vote against it and the continuing reports of criticism and objections outside the House indicate that this mammoth “threedecker” measure is likely to be contested every inch of i's way to the Statute Book. Both the Times and the Manchester Guardian, which hitherto have been sympathetically disposed towards the Government's nationalisation measures, this morning reiterate objections to the bill in the present form. Criticism Not Allayed

“There are times when members of tlie Government seem. to regard the public interest as their private, property. or even their perogative. Yet Ministers tend to be tongue tied when asked how thev propose to measure it.” says the Times, which adds that criticism of the proposed terms of compensation will not be allayed by Dr. Dalton's skilful pleading. Mr. Strauss’ speech would also net allay fears of Ministerial patronage or of political interference. The Times aim criticises Dr Dalton’s description of the railway system as “a very poor bag of assets and remarks tint the Government is subscribing to a \ery dangerous manciple when it sets itself up as a judge of its own c -se.

The Manchester Guardian savs it is obvious from the vague generalities of the Minister of Transport as well as from the entertaining evasions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the Government has a firm belief in the general principles of the measure _ but only the haziest notion of how it is going to work Full of Obvious Defects The Manchester Guardian claims that (he measure m its present form is so full of obvious defects that any advantages that single ownership may bring are almost certain to be swamped by the disadvantages of an excessively large and rigid monopoly. The newspaper concludes bv expressing the hope that the Government will take the bill in hand and make alterations without which the future of British transport will be grim. . The second reading of the Transport Bill was carried bv 363 votes to 204 The Opposition vote of 204 against the second reading was the biggest yet mustered against the Government in this Parliament. The Times Parliamentary representative says that the Conservatives on this occasion had the support not only of the Liberal Nationals but also the Liberals.