IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 30 March 1904, Page 23

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

LONDON, March 24.

Mr Balfour states that the Government will not deal with the Redistribution Bill this session.

Lord Stanley, Postmaster-general, is applying for a vote of £3,000,000 to extend the post office telephones. It is stated that the Government are negotiating for thfe purchase of the National Telephone Company's intare&ts.

It is estimated that Mr Austen Chamberlain's first budget will show a deficit of £4,000,000.

The Government- has accepted Mr D. J. Shackle-ton's (the Labour member for Clitheroe) motion that the wages of unskilled workmen in Government factories and shipyards ought not to be less than the standard wages of private employees. Mr Victor Cavendish (U.) said that the Government was determined to be model employers, and to set a good example to private firms.

Mr John Burns (Labour) moved an amendment that the wages be those agreed upon between the trades unions and the Employers' Associations.

Mr Balfour claimed time for consideration. One difficulty w^is that much of the unskilled labour was unorganised. The debate was adjourned.

March 26.

The Irish Unionists have intimated that they will not support the Government unless a grant is given for the drainage of the valley of the River Barm, also a grant for the Queen's College, Belfast.

Mr Austen Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced that ■ he does not intend to increase the coal tax.

The Westport Coal Company's output last week was 13.111 tons of coal.