NATIONAL INSURANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14819, 24 October 1911, Page 7

NATIONAL INSURANCE.

LIBERAL POLICY ATTACKED. ; RAID ON SLUMS. LIABILITY FOR SICKNESS. : By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. London, October 22. The . Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Lloyd-George, speaking in London, said that there had been much give and take on the National Insurance Bill, but now it was absolutely safe. . Incidentally, he stated that power would be given compelling owners of insanitary dwellings to pay for excessive sickness caused thereby. Municipalities responsible for insanitary conditions would similarly be called upon to pay. He added: " We will not be rid of slums until we make them a bad speculation."

CLASS LEGISLATION. " HAVES" AND " HAVE NOTS." MR. BALFOUR'S CRITICISM. London, October 22. Mr. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, speaking at the Conservative Workingmen's Club at Edinburgh, said the Unionists would teach the rising generation that after national defence they should place Imperial unity, and after that social reform.He charged the Radicals of to-day with abandoning the theories of earlier generations and introducing simpler theories f their own.. If they examined the speeches of Mr. Lloyd-George, for instance, they would find that he always measured the benefit accruing to one class by the amount taken from the pockets of another class. The worst that could be said against the National Insurance Bill , was the Prime Minister's declaration that general contributory schemes with State assistance might do for Germany, but were not suited to the national genius of Britons. The Bill provided for the lusty wageearner, but the abjectly poor got scant treatment. Mr. Balfour condemned the Government proposal to apply the closure on the Bill in order to pass it before the end of the year.

"EXPERIMENTAL." STATEMENT BY MR. ASQUITH. London, October 22. Speaking at a meeting of the East Fife Liberal Association, the Prime Minister, Mr. . Asquith, admitted that the second part of the National Insurance Bill, dealing with unemployment, was experimental and not final. IRISH PARTY'S SUPPORT. " WITH AMENDMENTS. (Received October 23, 10 p.m.) London, October 23. Speaking at Baltinglass, after remarking that the -Government's Home. Rule Bill would be satisfactory to the Irish Nationalists, Mr. John Redmond said that the Irish party had no intention to kill the National Insurance Bill. He i added: J "We will amend and will pass it."

NO AGREEMENT YET. FRIENDLY SOCIETY VIEW. (Received October 23. 11.35 p.m.) , - London, October 23. Mr. Wright, director of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, presiding at a conference of Friendly Societies at Chester, said that the Government's statement that the Government and the societies had reached an agreement on the National Insurance Bill was a little premature. No arrangement had been reached.