BUDGET OVERSHADOWED.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1926, Page 9

BUDGET OVERSHADOWED.

STRIKE TAKES

CHALLENGE TO THE STATE. OPINIONS OF THE LORDS. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright, Received May 5, 7.50 p.m. London, May 4. ■Wednesday’s debate in the House of Commons offers an opportunity to reattempt to approach a basis for fresh negotiations, The House of Commons met in a quiet mood. No business papers were circulated, and the Speaker appealed to members not to submit written questions because of tho printing difficulty. The chief business of the day was discussion of the Budget resolutions. Mr. P. Snowden announced that the Labourites would not participate in the present deplorable circumstances, but would content themselves with voting on the divisions, reserving discussion till the Finance Bill. Mr. Lloyd George spoke in similar vein. The mind of Parliament, he said, was concentrated on matters of grave public importance. Mr, .Churchill said there would be a sense of great unreality if tiicy tried to keep up long debates when their minds were otherwise fully occupied. A full opportunity would be given for discussion at later stages. Consideration would be given to the fact that the Opposition was at present surrendering their opportunities. The division was then taken, anil the betting resolution was agreed to by 282 votes to 122. Resolutions bearing on the income-tax, the duty of trade motor-cars, exempting antiques from duty, continuing the safeguarding of key industries for the next ten years were also agreed to, but a division was forced on the proposal to transfer £7,000.000 to the Exchequer from the road fund, but it was carried by 320 votes to 134. Mr. Churchill formally introduced the Finance Bill, under which preferences will be debated.

The House adjourned. In the House of Lords during the debate on the strike, Lord Oxford and Asquith said it was a blow to the very vitals of the community. It was a sinister and lamentable fact that, at a time when we were propagating the doctrine of disarmament, we should have' at home one of the cruellest and most undiscriminating of all f rms of warfare affecting the innocent mass of the people. He did not see how any Government could •refrain from taking up the challenge. It would have unanimous support in its effort to assert that the interests of the country were paramount above all classes.

Lord Haldane blamed the Government for not continuing the negotiations even in face of the general strike threat. The situation was ominous, but he did not despair of the parties being brought together again. Earl Balfour said that if Parliament handed over its responsibility of the trade unions in the guise of settling a trade dispute in a particular fashion, the most tragic revolution in history would be accomplished. The trades unions did not seem to understand they were upsetting the slow labour of centuries by which the people had built up their liberties, Lord Banbury introduced a bill to repeal the Trades Dispute Act of 1906, which was read a first time. Lord Banbury urged that the 1906 Act put the trades unions above the law, EXPECTATIONS SURPASSED. LABOUR LEADERS’ MANIFESTO. Received May 5, 13.25 p.m. London, May 4. The strike committee ,of the Trade Union Congress reports from all parte of the country from John o’ Groats to Lande End have surpassed all expectations. Not only the railway men and other transport workers, but other trades came out in a manner they did not quite expect immediately. The difficulty had been to keep the men at work who were not called out, thus forming a second line defence to that extent. The committee add: “We naturally are most gratified.” REFUSAL TO STRIKE. London, May 4. Ten thousand chemical workers at Brunner Monds, Cheshire, refused to obey the strike order. A HOSPITAL AFFECTED. London, May 4. The Stepney Council, which is controlled by Labourites, ordered all its employees to strike, permitting electricity only at night-time. This resulted in a London hospital not being supplied in the day-time for operations and X-ray examinations, for which the Government is providing supplies. STRIKERS’ CREDIT STOPPED. Received May 5, 5.5 p.m. London, May ,4. The Southampton Guardians announce that no relief will be granted for the families of strikers refusing work. The Leicester co-operative wholesale houses have refused to give credit to strikers. This decision is regarded as a setback to the strikers. COMMUNIST M.P. ARRESTED. Received May 5, 7.55 p.m. London, May 4. Mr. S. Saklatvala, the Communist member for Battersea, was quietly arrested at his home in Highgate under the Emergency Powers Act and charged with making a seditious speech in Hyde Park on Sunday, in which he is alleged to have said “the young men in the forces are of our class, and whether Joynson-Hicks likes it or not or calls it sedition we have a duty to tell these young men they must" lay down their arms and revolt, and protect the people instead of the rogues and fools whom the Union Jack has been harbouring for years.” Defendant was remanded until Thursday and undertook to refrain from further speeches. FOOD AND LORRIES BURNED. ROUGH ELEMENT SHOW UP. Received May 5, 5.5 p.m. London, May 4. Twenty were injured in a police baton charge at the East India dock. The strikers attacked Government food lor-

ries, women taking part. A special force of police was sent and restored order, but the strikers had previously fired the lorries and destroyed the contents. Received Maj; 5, 5.5 p.m. London, May 4. There were strange scenes at Blackwall tunnel. The dock workers captured the entrance and stopped every car and lorry going to and from the tunnel and examined the contents of every lorry. Only those containing food and essential supplies were allowed to pass. Passengers were compelled to dismount, and if there was any opposition the drivers were ordered to turn back. Any cars attempting to force a passage were overturned. Numbers of cars suffered in this way, and the inmates were roughly handled. A force of police, including some mounted men, were on duty, but beyond seeing there was no undue violence they adopted a passive attitude. Received May 5, 11.15 p.m. London, May 5. Police officers in the East End are convinced that the disturbances are not due to bona fide trade unionists, who are most orderly, but to the operations of small gangs of. roughs. The police task is most difficult owing to the wasplike tactics of the roughs, but large drafts of foot and mounted men have been sent to the district and have broken up the gangs and are now shepherding lorries past the danger point. SPREAD OF THE TROUBLE. Received May 5, 9 pita. London, May 5. The staff committee of the Whitley Council resolved to advise all civil servants not to volunteer to perform duties outside their normal work. It recommended obedience to the orders of competent authorities, but to report to the committee any attempt to induce them to perform any unusual duties. Mr. Havelock Wilson announces that the Seamen’s Union is balloting whether to join. They are part of the Trade Union Congress, but the union’s constitution forbids any strike without a ballot of members. The decision from the ballot is not likely to be reached before the week-end. Received May 5, 7.30 p.m. Amsterdam, May 4. The Essen Union of Transport Workers, dock labourers and the seamen’s organisations have ordered their members to cease work on ships trying to take coal to England. Received May 5, 7.30 p.m. Paris, May 4. The General Confederation of Labour has convened a conference of miners, railwaymen, dockers and seamen to discuss support for the British strikers. A definite decision was not reached, but the French unions assured the British workers of their sympathy and promised to contribute to the success of the strike. GOVERNMENT PAPER ISSUED. Received May 5, 9 p.m. London, May 5. The Government is publishing a penny newspaper called The British Gazette. Its first issue consists of four sheets. The first issue of 700,000 explains that its object is a reply to the strikemakers’ plan to paralyse public opinion. It adds that nearly all newspapers have been silenced by violent concerted action, and this great nation is momentarily reduced to the level of African natives, dependent only on rumours carried from place to place. In a few days, if this were allowed to continue, rumours would poison the air and raise panics and disorders, which would carry us to depths which no sane man nor any party or class care even to contemplate. It says the Gazette’s circulation will be raised by means of the unlimited resources of the State until it provides a sure and sufficient means of information and guide for action for all British civilians. It urges the nation to “be strong and quit yourselves like men.” It claims that the first day of the strike was not so complete as the promoters had hoped for. More trains were running than on the first day of the 1919 railway strike. It says that reports from all parts of the country indicate that recruiting arrangements are satisfactory. The office where it is published and the vans carrying the paper were strongly guarded. The Gazette was delivered to the more distant districts by aeroplane. The Times published a sheet 13 by 8i inches printed on both sides, and selling at the usual price. The Daily Express hand set a single sheet and distributed it gratis throughout London. The National Union of Journalists has ordered its members to remain at work unless non-union labour is introduced. Newspaper linotype operators so far have not struck. They meet to-day to consider the question of breaking away from the main newspaper union. It is reported that several London dailies are considering printing in Paris and bringing the papers to London by aeroplane.