PARTY FUNDS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 May 1927, Page 9

PARTY FUNDS

DISCUSSED IN THE COMMONS.

MUCH-DEBATED CLAUSE.

IN TRADE UNION BILL.

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT

Received 12.35 p.m. to-day. LONDON, May 27. In the House of Commons the day was devoted to discussing the provision in the Trades Union Bill enforcing the separation of trades union and political funds.

Several Labourites admitted that the provision was not likely to reduce the unions’ political income, and said: “We shall simply tell the members the objects of our propaganda, and they will increase instead of reduce theircontributions.”

Nevertheless they strenuously opposed the clause, as Mr. Shaw explained, • “Because everyone knows it is all a political dodge from end to end, seeking to hamper the trades unions’ political activities. The Tories have discovered one case of intimidation per million per year, and on Ah is flimsy evidence they are shedding crocodile tears over the poor oppressed people within the unions.” Mr. Mackinder: What will happen when the Labour Government comes into power and proposes to interfere with licensed victuallers, Primrose Leagues, or the Conservative and 1 Liberal Parties’ secret funds from the the sale of honours. Labourites’ funds are the cleanest in the country, and we shall believe that the others are clean when we see the balance-sheets, not before. Sir Douglas Hogg, replying, said the clause did not introduce » new principle. It only sought _to make the exemption of the minority effective. The guillotine was applied and the clause carried by 22S to 103. —A.P.A. and “Sun.”