THE DYESTUFFS ACT

Otago Witness, Issue 4006, 23 December 1930, Page 26

THE DYESTUFFS ACT

HOUSE OF LORDS AMENDMENT INCLUSION INSISTED UPON. RUGBY, December 18. The House of Lords insisted, without a division, upon its amendment to the Dyestuffs Act, which the House of Commons rejected. The measure now reverts to the House of Commons. It is probable that a compromise will be reached as a further rejection of the amendment would jeopardise other measures, such as the Wireless Telegraphy Act and the Coal Mines Minimum Wage -Act, which are included in the schedule of the Continuance Bill.

AMENDMENT AGREED TO. LONDON, December 19. In the House of Commons Mr William Graham (President of the Board of Trade) announced that the Government had no other course but to accept the decision of the House of Lords regarding the Dyestuffs Act, otherwise the Rent Restriction Act, legislation affecting miners’ wages, and other Acts of Parliament would be lost. Moreover, the Government’s majority in the House of Commons yesterday was narrow. “ There is a temptation to enter upon a discussion regarding the relations of the two Houses, but we ourselves and the electorate outside will form our own judgments.”—(Loud Ministerial cheers.) Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister (Con.), replying, said that the Opposition was only too anxious to test the feeling of the electorate on the matter, but he understood that a general election in the near future had been described elsewhere as political suicide from the standpoint of the Labour Party.— (Opposition cheers.) A desultory discussion regarding the powers of the House of Lords followed, during which some Labour members accused the Imperial Chemical Industries and kindred firms of corrupting political life.. The Conservatives hotly denied the insinuation. The House of Lords amendment was agreed to without a division.