ELECTON NOT DESIRED

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1930, Page 7

ELECTON NOT DESIRED

LABOUR CLINGS TO OFFICE

APPEAL WOULD BE SUICIDAL ELECTORAL REFORM BILL OF EXECUTIVE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—-Copyright. Rec. 8.30 p.m. London, Dec. 19. According to lobbyists, important decisions were reached at a joint meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party and joint national executive of the Labour Party. It is understood that the meeting approved of the text of the Electoral Reform Bill, including the alternative electoral vote, restriction in the use of motor-cars at elec* tions, the division of two-member constituencies and reductions in candidates’ expenses. |

Mr. Maxton .vehemently protested that the Bill meant yielding to the Liberals’ blackmail.

Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and Mr. Arthur Henderson denied that there was any pact with the Liberals, but members admit that they obtained the impression that the price obtained for the alternative vote is the Liberal support for the Trades Disputes Bill.

Sir Oswald Mosley surprised everyone by accepting the Electoral Bill and- appealing for party unity. Mr. MacDonald declared it would be political suicide to go to the country at present. Mr. Henderson, supporting his view, made it clear that the party was aiming at remaining in office for a further two years. The hope was expressed that unemployment would diminish. The Government’s greatest present difficulty is the School Age Bill. Sir Charles Trevelyan, Minister of Education,' announced that he was unable to complete the committee debate on the Bill as forty members had intimated that they must vote against it, owing to Roman Catholic dissatisfaction with the Bill. He proposed in the New Year to hold conferences regarding voluntary schools. The Daily Heijald (Labour) declares that the new Bill completely wipes out' Mr. Baldwin’s Act, passed after the general strike of 1926. • Sympathetic strikes will be legalised and no strike can be declared illegal on account of its mere magnitude. The political levy will be restored and the civil services will bo permitted to organise. • Sir Oswald Mosley told the Labour members they would lose 100 seats if they went to the country in the immediate future.

Mr. MacDonald wound up in the same strain.. He seemed like the rest to assume that the Liberals were so fright-ened'-That they were prepared to risk anything rather than an election at present. It remains to be seen whether Sir John Simon and others share this view.

The News-Chronicle is reconciled to a still further period of Labour. It says that however bitterly the Liberals criticise the Government it is infinitely preferable to a protectionist Tory administration.