THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22751, 11 December 1935, Page 9

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE LABOUR AMENDMENT (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, December 9. (Received Dec. 10, at 5.5 p.m.) > Resuming the debate on the Labour amendment to the Address in the House of Commons, Major Attlee said his party held that the sickness of the world to-day was due far more to economic than political causes, and challenged the whole position on which the Government stood. There was no indication in the foreign policy that the Government was thinking of the grave perils facing the world or of how to remove the growing sense of fear, and in home affairs there was the same lack of a co-ordinated plan or policy. The Government had no proposals for dealing witli the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty. Defending the Government, policy, the Attorney-general (Sir Thomas lnskip) said there were more people in employment than ever before. The Government was not idle in finding new trade channels for distressed areas. In regard to unemployment allowances and the means test, Sir Thomas lnskip said much information had become available from the working of the present system, and the Government would bring forward proposals at an early date. He declared that by the proposed unification of mining royalties the Government meant the purchase of royalties by the State, involving a change from ownership and control by some 4000 private persons to single ownership and control by the State in the interests of the community. AMENDMENT DEFEATED LONDON, December 9. (Received Dec. 10, at 11.15 p.m.) The Labour amendment, condemning the failure of the King's Speech to indicate an effective peace policy, a reduction of armaments, measures to deal with unemployment, miners' claims, and other matters, was defeated by 382 votes to 140.