THE COMMONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 9 April 1924, Page 5

THE COMMONS

ANOTHER DEFEAT FOR LABOUR GOVERNMENT (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Sun Cable.) LONDON, April 7. In the House of Commons the Government were again defeated by 207 to 170 votes on a proposal to reverse the Conservative Government's decision regarding the adjustment of certain war charges. previous"" DEFEAT LONDON, April 7. Details of the debates on the Rents Bill show that Air Pringle resumed the debate, Mr Neville Chamberlain tabled an amendment rejecting the Bill as unjustly throwing the burden of unemployment upon one particular section of the community, also seriously prejudicing the building of houses for workers by making the new legislation retrospective. Mr MacDonald said the Government regarded the Bill as an emergency measure because evictions were alarmingly increasing. The Government felt that unemployed men, many of whom were ex-fighters, should not he tnvnc-d out of I heir homes.

.Mr Wheatley explained that the Government’s substituted clause compelled the court to enquire whether an unemployed threatened with eviction hod submitted his case to the local poor law authorities, giving them the opportunity of paying Ins rent. Mr Thomas later announced his refusal to withdraw the clause. The amendment was carried amidst Opposition cheers. When the excitement over the Government defeat had subsided Mr Baldwin moved to report progress to give ■Air MacDonald the opportunity of explaining what he proposed to do. " Mr AfacDonald said that in his first speech as Prime Minister he contemplated such a situation. He suggested that there should be some consultation among parties to decide how to get the. Bill through. The Government in the meantime would consider the position and he make a statement next day.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

LONDON, April 8.

A Government Bill to amend unemployed insurance proposes far-reaching changes ill the existing law. It brings boys and girls of fourteen into the scheme and provides a payment benefit to workers thrown idle by a trade dispute in which they are not directly concerned. The men will receive 18/- instead of the present 15/- weekly; women 15/- instead of 12/-; and each dependent child 2/- instead of 1/-.

AN EXCITED SCENE

LONDON, April 8. The Daily Express states that no London theatre could stage a scene to compare with the crowded and o.xcifcod House of Commons after the division on the Evictions Bill. Back bench Socialists blared liked a thousand “loud speakers.” Jt was obvious from the beginning that a crash was hound to come. Air Pringle, who saved the Governmentlast week, spoke lor half an hour, pointing ont that the amended clause 1 did not instruct local authorities to pay rent for unemployed threatened with eviction, nor did it instruct county courts to withhold an eviction order if relief was obtained. Mr MacDonald’s speech was entirely a failure. It was prosy, indefinite, and entirely non-committal, interruptions rained down every minute. He spun meaningless words like- a spider spinning a web, whereupon the impatience of the House increased. Air Baldwin declared that Mr AlacDonald’s explanation only made the tenebrosity of the position more profound.

Air Asquith said that only the Johnsonian phrase, “inspiccnted gloom.” could describe members’ mental condition, including the Treasury benches. Liberals were, divided into three camps. Forty, including Messrs Asquith, Lloyd George, Macnamara, MncPherson, Grigg, Mastermau, and Sir John Simon did not vote. About 40 voted with and 25 against the Government.

The Unionists voted unitedly against tiie Government. Cabinet is undecided as to what it will do.

Latest lobby forecasts do not anticipate that tiie Bill will ho reintroduced before Easter.