A COMPLICATED BILL

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 91, 28 November 1928, Page 7

A COMPLICATED BILL

\ .REMOVING INDUSTRIAL j BURDENS. i LOCA L GOVERNMENT.* MEASURE. LONDON, November 26. The Rt. Hon. Neville Chamberlain managed to boldi thie interest of the House of Commons to-day throughout a Iso^minut e speech moving the second reading of the complicated 155-pjige local Government Bill generally known as the derating Bill, which, it is generally J <eliov-id, *-.-iH have an important effect on the destinies of the Ministry. Mr Chamberlain insisted th,e Bill was a major, reform of the local Government system, which had been unaltered for 40 yolirs. NOT A DONATION. "It does not constitute a donation to a needy relative," he said, "anc[ is nob a bribe to ratepayers, but ai long-delayed act of justice which will remove at a stroke a burden of £24,000,000 from the buck of industry. Three-quarters of the relief is in the neediest areas. "1 am certain the underlying principles will ultimately Iroaoh, tno Statute Book as a courageous and comprehensive attempt to remove the anomalies of 'the local IGovernmcf.i.ti system." To-morrow and Wednesday have also, been allotted for the debate, on which, a division is expecteldl about midnight on Wednesday. LABOUR OPPOSITION. i Although the result is not in doubt strong opposition to th e i Bill, which is a complicated measure of~lls clauses and 12 schedules, is likely to be encountered. The Government hopes to make substantial progress before tno .Christmas recess with the" committee stHge at the measure. An amendment for the rejection cif the measure will be moved on behalf of the Labour Party. Mr Arthur Greenwood submitted Labour's rejection motion, objecting chiefly to the perpetuation of the evils of the poor law system and the failure to make unemployment a national responsibility. He described) the Bill fi,s the l|i,st kick which would send the Government to oblivion. Sir H. Slesser (Labour) stated that the total rates of the country were £173,000,000. Tt was useless to pretend that a relief of £24,000,000, less the cost of the petrol tax, was going to save the basic industries. The debate wag adjourneu.