A GOOD LEAD

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12076, 2 March 1925, Page 6

A GOOD LEAD

When the Electric Supply Bill promoted by the London County Council was defeated the other day in a division of 183 to. 180 j. there were cries of “Resign!” from the Labour benches. This because a Minister bad 'favoured the bill, and without stopping to consider that other Ministers opposed it. Instead of calling upon the Government to resign, had Labour i congratulated the Ministers who voted against the hill it would have been the reasonable thing to do. The hill was defeated because it was regarded as belonging to a group of bills designed to forestall a national hydro-electric power scheme. The principle- of keeping the control of the electric supplies in the hands of the Government has been affirmed. In this Labour had no monopoly of righteous intention, for many members of both t{ie Conservative and Liberal parties voted against the measure. The Dominion will realise that .the House of Commons has given it a good lead. The principle 'of keeping the control of the hydro-electric '.power in the hands of the Government has been put into practice here. But the idea of letting private. enterprise have a good share —especially for large projects like the manufacture of nitrogenous fertilisers'has many advocates, who are anxious to enter into the business. They should be made to realise that -the House of Commons has affirmed a principle Which the Dominion at large approves cordially.