REJECTED BY COMMONS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 19 May 1924, Page 7

REJECTED BY COMMONS.

BY CABLE—Pities ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, May 16. The nationalisation of mines was discussed in the House of Commons when a Labourite, Mr. George Hall, moved the second reading of the Nationalisation of Mines Bill, providing for the transference of mines and minerals to a Mining Council of twenty members —ten appointed by the Miners' Federation, under the Minister of Mines, and ten appointed by the Crown. The Bill provides for the purchase of the mines, but not for the payment of royalties, for which no compensation will be given. Mr. Hall stated that he was sick of persons drawing royalties of over £500,030 yearly. This was more than 3500 miners received. Mr. Samuel Roberts (Conservative) moved the rejection of the Bill. He instanced cases where nationalisation had resulted in losses, including shipping and railways, in Canada, shipping in Australia and South Africa. Mr. Roberts declared that the British coal export trade had enormously increased under private enterprise. The Bill proposed a leap in the dark, and was a rash and disastrous experiment. Sir Beddoes Rees (Liberal) seconded i the rejection. Mr. Shinwall said that, while recognising that Ihe country had not given a mandate for the nationalisation of mines, the Government whole-heartedly accepted the principle of the Bill. Mr. Lloyd George repeatedly interrupted the Labourites, declaring that the profits went back to the industry and losses were taken out of the public funds. This was the new socialism. It" was not nationalisation, but a gigantic coal trust, such a s Mr. Sidney Webb denounced as a black tiger. The only difference was that the Bill created a red tiger. He agreed that mining conditions were most unsatisfactory and was sure that the House would not examine in a partisan spirit any broadminded proposal to improve the miners' lot. The second reading was rejected by 264 votes to 168. The Liberal vote was split.—Reuter.