THE LLOYD GEORGE GOVERNMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18557, 18 May 1922, Page 5

THE LLOYD GEORGE GOVERNMENT

DRAMATIC DEFEAT OPPOSITION FORCES COMBINE. iWILL CABINET EE SIGN ? POLITICAL CIECLES SPECULATIVE. PtM« Association —By Tolograph—Copyright. LONDON, May 16. After a debate on the question of ■whether teachers should contribute o their pensions, the Government, which favoured contributions for teachers, was defeated by 151 votes to 148. Mr Chamberlain moved the adjournment of the House, which was carried; but it is not expected that the Government will resign.—A. and N.Z. Cable. (Received May 17, at 7.5 p.m.) The unexpected defeat of the Government caused excitement in the lobbies and political clubs. . - The resignation Of Mr Fisher, President of the Board of Education, is expected, but the resignation of the Government is not likely, though it is possible, as the defeat has arisen from an effort to give effect to the report ot the Geddes Committee. , During the debate on the second reading of tiie Teachers’ Superannuation Bill the National Union of ' Teachers, _ which has considerable voting power in the House of Commons, proved unexpectedly active. There was so much lobbying that the Government scented danger -and issued a three-line Whip for the debate, which ordinarily would not attract 50 members. The" BUI proposed that the teachers should contribute 5 per cent, of their 'salaries towards the pension, thus saving £2,500,000 annually. Mr Fisher argued the necessity for economy. The salaries for teachers had increased 150 per cent, in five years, and the pension had been trebled. Several Labour members and other opponente then claimed that a bargain had been made with the teachers and that any reduction was a breach of the honour of the House of Commons, which had agreed to the bargain. Mr Fisher and Mr Chamberlain decided any _ bargain made when the teachers’ salaries were fixed by the Burnham Committee. The excitement increased when Lord Robert Cecil moved the adjournment. Mr Chamberlain refused to accent the motion. It was now evident that the opposition to the Government proposal was gathering strength, and that the “Diehards, Coalition Liberals, and a number of Conservatives would be allied with the Labour members on the question of the adjournment. . __ There was a sensation when Sir W. Joynson-Hicks and Major E. Gray (the Conservative tellers) returned from the lobby and took up their position on the right of the table, with the Government Whips on their left. There rose a mightv cheer from the Opposition and loud shouts of “Resign” when Sir W. JoynsonHicks read the figures showing that the Government was in a minority, of three. Mr Chamberlain, who was greeted with cries of “Get out your election addresses,” immediately moved the adjournment of the House. Cabinet will hold a meeting to-morrow to decide what action the Government will take. The general impression is that the Government blundered in allowing the division to be taken two hours before the time mentioned in their threeline Whip. It is also considered that Mr Fisher is unpopular with the Conservatives and is an unconvincing debater. Nevertheless there are shrewd politicians who think that Mr Chamberlain purposely risked defeat as he can now fairly claim that the Government is doing its best to economise, but that a combination of the Opposition, obedient to the pressure of the teachers’ votes, thwarted their efforts. Moreover, Mr Llovd George may take the double event—the the House of Commons and the set-h'ack at Genoa owing to America’s refusal to attend The Hague—as an occasion for retirement and the search of the rest he so badly needs.—A. and'N.Z. Cable.