BRITISH POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 98, 8 December 1911, Page 4

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE INSURANCE BILL

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.)

London, December 7. Mr Foster said emphatically that the amendment was not intended to wreck the measure, inasmuch as the supporters of the amendment approved of national insurance; but eighteen new clauses were passed in a single night under the guillotine. Mr Ramsay MacDanold said ho did not doubt tJie trades' unions believed they had power in their ranks to enable them to pay both their insurances and their union contributions. Nevertheless the Bill would compel the Legislature to face problems that would not otherwise be faced, and therefore lie would vote for it, despite its admitted faults. Mr Lloyd-George’s amendment was shifty. Any mistakes remediable on consideration would imply la sacrifice of eigiit months of labour matters arranged with friendly societies, and although he did not affirm the doctors were satisfied, he contended it was impossible to meet the demands otherwise than as proposed. He reminded the Opposition that the Government might have adopted the compulsory non-contribu-tory system, and added significantly it could have found the requisite monley and income tax afterwards, which, would not have been so high as in Berlin to-day. (Cheers.) He strenuously argued that the Government acccptetd the principle of contribution advocated by its opponents, and therefore was entitled to protection against misapprehension. Lord E. A .R. Cecil replied that his statements were absolutely true. Mr Bonar Law said the Opposition was voting for the amendment, but ho would not participate in a further division, leaving the Government the responsibility during the next fortnight before the scheme was properly discussed. He blamed Mr Lloyct-Georgo for becoming in conduct the measure’s bitterest partisan. His charges and misrepresentations were more scandalous than any Minister had ever made. He concluded by declaring that the interests of millions of people were thrust aside to enable the Government in 1912 to redeem a bond entered into with the Nationalists.

The Premier, in reply, taunted the Opposition with pusillanimity in not moving the rejection of the Bill, and commented scornfully on the Tory lip service in the cause of insurance. Ail their voting would not kill the vast scheme of social reform. The amendment wps negatived, by 320 to 223.

Messrs Snowden, Lansbury and O’Grady favoured a non-contributory scheme, and challenged a division on the Dill. The minority consisted of three Labourites, seven O’Brienites and eleven Unionists. The rest of the Unionists abstained from voting, ■ The Premier, in reply to Mr O’Brien, •said it was necessary for the Government to use all constitutional means, to pass Home Ride, within, the lifetime of the present Parliament. (Nationalist cheers.) The Dill was' read a first time by 321 to 2