BRITISH POLITICS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 16 February 1914, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

ENGLISH RAILWAYS

NATIONALISATION URGED BY LABOUR. DEPUTATION.

(Press Association. —Copyright)

LONDON, Feb. 14.

The Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress sent a deputation to Mr Asquith to urge the nationalisation of railways, and the introduction of women's .suffrage. Mr Asquith replied that S:a+e acquisition would inevitably be followed oy a. demand'for a reduction of fares and rates, and a request- by the employees for shorter hours, and increased wages. A Royal Commission was inquiring into the question, and its ultimate determination might well be left until its report was presented. He declines to u.produce a, 'Suffrage Bill. Mr Leif Jones, in the House of Commons. moved an amendment to the' Acl'-dress-in-Replv, regretting that there was no reference, in the King's Speech to the Government's intention to introduce a Temperance Reform Bill. Mr Asquith replied that it was impossible to pass such a measure this session, but it was the intention of the Government-, within the lifetime of the present- Parliament to prosecute legislation of this kind.

Mr Brace's amendment directing attention to the increase in the number of accidents in mines and railways, led- to the Governmet's emphasising. Mr McKenna's promise to introduce a Bill based on the experience of the Cawdor disaster, and Mr J. M. Robertson, Secretary of the Board of Trade, promising an inquiry into railway employment and tho prevention of accidents.

A LABOUR CANDIDATE

LONDON, Feb. 15

Mr S'curr, chairman of the London Dockers' Union, will also oppose Mr Masterman at Bethnal Green.

BY-ELECTIONS,

(Received Feb. 16, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 15. Candidates in the Poplar election will be:—

Clark, .Unionist; Yeo (recently Mayor) Liberal; Jones, Labour. The Insurance Act will be prominent in the Bethnal Green election. Mr Masterman, who is contesting this seat in Liberal interests, announced a scheme to deal with the of casual labourers. Mr Wilson, the Unionist candidate, proposes a drastic amendment of the Act-.