THE INSURANCE RILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7978, 8 December 1911, Page 9

THE INSURANCE RILL

A FRESH DIFFICULTY MORE TROUBLE WITH THE DOCTORS By Telesraph— Pros? Association— Copyright LONDON, December 6. Fresh difficulties with the doctors regarding tho National Insurance Bill have arisen owing to Dr J. Smith Whitaker, the Medical Association’s secretary, accepting the deputy-chair-manship of the Insurance Commission. Tho dissentients fear that Dr Whitakers acceptance of the office commits the doctors to the Bill. THIRD READING CARRIED. •(Received December 7, 11.25 p.m.) LONDON, December 7. Air Forster’s amendment to the Insurance Bill was negatived, and the Bill read a third time by 321. votes to 21. UNIONIST AMEND AI ENT DEBATED. AIR LLOYD GEORGE’S VIGOROUS SPEECH. (Received December 7, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, December 7.

Air Henry Foster, Unionist member for Sovonoaks, moved in the House of Commons that while appreciating the objects of tho Insurance Bill the House is of opinion that under Part I. of the Bill public funds and individual contributions will not bo used to the best advantage; that the Bill is unequal in its operation ; and that stops should bo taken to enable further consideration of Part I. in 1912. Ho said emphatically that the amendment was not intended to wreck tho Bill, inasmuch as its supporters approved of national insurance, but eighteen new clauses had been passed in a single night under the guillotine. Air Ramsay MacDonald said that choice now was no legislation or legislation only partially satisfactory. He did not 'doubt'that tho trades unions believed that people in the lower ranks were unable to pay both insurance and union contributions. Nevertheless, the Bill would compel the Legislature to face problems which would not otherwise be faced. Therefore he would vote for tho Bill,. despite its admitted faults.

Air Lloyd George said that the amendment was a shifty method of destroying the measure. Any mistakes in the Bill were remediable, and re consideration would simply sacrifice eight months’ labour. Alattcrs had been arranged with the friendly societies, and although ho- could not affirm, that the doctors were satisfied, ho contended that it Was impossible to meet their demands otherwise than as proposed. Ho reminded the Opposition that the Government might have adopted a compulsory non-contributory system, and added, significantly, that he cordd have found tho requisite money and the income tax afterwards would not have been as high as in Berlin to-day. (Cheers.) Ho strenuously, argued that the Government accepted tho principle of contribution advocated by the opponents of the Bill, and therefore were entitled to protection against misrepresentation. Amid excitement he accused Lord Robert Cecil of bearing false witness against tho Government in an election leaflet circulated during tho recent by-election for Hitchin.

IMPORTANT SPEECHES,

MESSRS BONAR LAW AND ASQUITH.

(Received December 8, 0.45 a.m.) LONDON, December 7.

Lord Hugh Cecil replied that the statements in the circular were absolutely true. Mr Bonar Law said that the Opposition were voting . for the amendment, but ho would not participate in the further division leaving on the Government the responsibility of launching the scheme before it had been properly discussed. Ho blames Air Lloyd George for becoming, in his conduct of the measure, the bitterest partisan. The Minister’s charges of misrepresentation wore more scandalous than any Minister had ever made. Air Bonar Law concluded by declaring that the interests of millions of people had been thrust aside to enable tho Government in 1912 to redeem the bond entered into with tho Nationalists. The Premier, in reply, taunted the Opposition with pusillanimity in not moving the rejection of the Bill. He commented scornfully on Tory lip service in tho cause of insurance, when all were -oting to kill a vast scheme of social reform.

Mr Forster’s amendment was negatived by 320 to 223.

Messrs Snowden, Lansbnry and O’Orady (Labourites), favouring a noncontributory scheme, challenged a divi. sion on the Bill. The minority consisted of three Labourites, seven O’Brienites, and eleven Unionists. The rest of the Unionists abstained from voting.