HISTORIC TEN WEEKS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXVI, Issue 25, 28 December 1945, Page 5

HISTORIC TEN WEEKS

BRITISH LEGISLATION

MANY IMPORTANT BILLS (N.Z. Press Association. —Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 27. Britain's Parliament is now in recess after an historic ten wee'ks in which it held the unflagging interest of the nation. Concrete results includo the nationalisation of the Bank of England. The Bill h as now " been passed by the Hftuse of Commons and is expected to go through the House of Lords early in the New Year.' Power and money to build up to £20,000,000 worth, of temporary houses, and planning for tens of thousands of permanent houses, have been given tlie Minister of Housing (Mi 'Bevan) and the Minister of Works (Mr Tomlinson) by the Building Materials and Housing Bill. ' Both Houses have accepted the Washington Monetary Agreement and the Bretton Woods Bill. Other Bills "on the way" include measures for the "decasualisation" of dock labour, reorganisation of the trunk roads system, control of rents of furnished houses, the Coal Nationalisation Bill, and the National Insurance Scheme. It has been an arduous period for members of the Houso of Commons and one in which the Government has not lost prestige. Despite criticisms which are inevitable, the country as a whole is still in' the mood of giving the Labour Party a fair trial and an interesting fact is that the Conservatives' motion of censure did the,Government good rather than harm, and that it was the Conservatives who emerged crestfallen.*

MR ATTLEE'S PRESTIGE. Mr Attlee has increased his prestige. He is generally regarded as "businesslike" and if there were doubts about his possessing colour they were dispelled when he answered Mr Churchill during .the censure debate in a speech that will long be remembered by all who heard it. Other personalities who have impressed the House are Mr Bevin, Dr Dalton, and Mr Aneurin Bevan, while Messrs Tomlinson and Barnes are regarded as having shown most ability among the other Ministers and Messrs Edwards and Strachey among the junior Ministers- Mr Herbert Morrison occupies a place to himself as being a most capable Leader of the House and next to Mr Attlee in line of succession to the Prime Ministership. Sir Stafford Cripps has also made an impression, particularly for his attack on Mr Churchill during the censure debate. It has been a difficult period for Mr Churchill, once more back in Opposition after five glorious years of undisputed power and influence. Leading a defeated and divided party cannot have been a role to his liking. Though carrying immense prestige and weight, his voice has not been the oracle it was, though his place is assured in every British heart. There is much speculation on his future at present in view of his intended protracted holiday in Miami. Questions are being asked whether he will retire from the leadership of the Conservative Party When he returns to England. The answer-can only be guesswork, but it is considered Mr Churchill will not make up his mind until he gets back, which may not be for three months, and by then much will have happened in international affairs and domestic politics to help him make his decisioon.