BRITISH POLITICS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17944, 23 November 1932, Page 8

BRITISH POLITICS

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT TASKS OF THE SESSION INTERNATIONA L PROBLEMS (British Official Wireless.) Rec. 2 p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 22. The King and Queen drove in state from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords, where His Majesty opened the new session of Parliament. The pageant was witnessed by a vast crowd. Before the procession arrived, the Prince of Wales, in a State landau, drove to the House of Lords and was accorded a popular reception. The Speech was read by the King from the Throne, including the following passages:—“It is my earnest hope that the Lausanne Conference will be able to reach an agreement on the measures required to deal with the causes which have brought about the present economic and financial difficulties of the World. The conference for a reduction and limitation of armaments now sitting at Geneva embodies the hope and effort ot mankind to induce the greatest measures of general disarmament that can be attained. Aly Government continues, in full co-operation with all other members of the conference, to work for an international convention which will bo the foundation for lasting peace. “Aly Ministers and other members of both Houses are meeting in conference representatives of tlio Indian States and British India. They hope thereafter to place before you proposals for further constitutional development in India. The decisions to be taken will be of great moment to the whole of my Empire, and I shall watch your deliberations with deep interest. “Although the various conversion schemes which have been successfully carried through offer the prospect of large reductions in the service of the national debt, it is still necessary to exercise a careful supervision over public expenditure, both national and local. The measures already taken to assist British industry in the home market and improve the markets overseas have created a feeling of greater confidence. Aly Government will continue to do everything in its power to stimulate l lie recovery of trade.

“Agriculture has long been depressed by the general fall in the wholesale prices off its products. Afy Ministers recognise that though the measures recently taken in regard to meat and other products have been of real assistance ty producers, further plans are necessary to enable agriculture as a wliolo to take its proper place in the economy of the nation.

“My Government intends to bring forward ideas for dealing comprehensively with unemployment insurance and the treatment of those unable to obtain work. ’'

A restoration of prosperity in agriculture could not he expected until wholesale prices were raised to a more normal level.

A long reference was made to unemployment, and, particularly, to distress, and expressed the fact that many young men and women had never in their lives had an opportunity of regular employment. Forthcoming measures would deal With unemployment insurance, unemployed problems, and rent restriction. Mr. G. Lansbury said the King’s Speech was unworthy of being put in His Majesty’s hands. It promised no action concerning the greatest problem of the day. There was not one word of sympathy with the Irish people who were suffering from economic war. lie condemned the lack of action to deal quickly with the suffering and distress due to unemployment. If they cared, decent maintenance could he provided for everyone.

Sir Herbert. (Samuel said people already were sceptical of the tariffs arising from the Ottawa agreements. The world had 30.000,000 unemployeds. The cure must he international. Britain might begin by following the examples of Holland and Belgium and form the largest possible group of low-tariff countries, the members of which would undertake to reduce tariffs among themselves. Secondly, Britain, should chock her own tariff increases and recognise that the merely local or national attempts to raise price levels were both futile and dangerous. Ho recognised that no statement was at present advisable on the American debt. It was not a question of whether Europe could afford to pay. but whether the United States could afford to receive, as the consequent exclusion of goods would injure America and every other country.

There "was a large attendance in the House of Commons when the debate on ilie Address-in-Reply began. Members of all parties cheered when Mr. Winston Churchill made his first appearance since his recent illness. The Prime Minister dealt with criticism levelled at the Government’s policy by ATr. G Lansbury. Regarding unemployment, liq said the Labor Party bad tried to deal with the problem by the provision of relief work, hub when the expenditure reached the highest point, the unemployed figures were going rapidly up. The- conditions and state of unemployment two years ago were much worse than at present. The Government had faced up to the fact that when trade recovered to a degreo '•■LHi anvhndv could reasonably expect there would still be a large residium of unemployed. It, therefore, was not a question of temporary relief. A revival of agriculture was essential to their plans. Res*.riling the foreign outlook, the Premier said the. World Economic Conference was finding some obstacles' in the wav. but the British Government would continuo to press for tho earliest possible meeting.