GOVERNMENT SURVIVES

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1931, Page 7

GOVERNMENT SURVIVES

POWERS OF TRADES UNIONS BILL PASSES SECOND STAGE NO VOTE BY MOST LIBERALS “1926 STRIKE WAS ILLEGAL” British. Wireless. Rugby, Jan. 28. When the debate on the second reading of the Trades Disputes and Trades Unions Amendment Bill was resumed in the House of Comirions this evening, Mr. Winston Churchill vigorously attacked the measure. He defended tlie_ Act of 1927 passed by the Conservative Government, which he contended still had the overwhelming approval of the mass of the nation. The proposed measure he described as bad for the country, bad for industry, and riot really in the best interests of the trades unions.

The Solicitor-General, Sir Stafford Cripps, said the 1927 Act did much more than was necessary or wise in placing restrictions on trade unions’ activity. The present Bill would provide ample safeguards against any usurpation of power by the unions, it would remove the sense of injustice felt by trade unionists, and would maintain proper and adequate safeguards against usurpation of power by any classSir Kingsley Wood pressed Sir Stafford directly to answer whether the Bill would have legalised the 1926 general strike.

Sir Stafford: “In my opinion under this Bill the 1926 strike would be illegal because, though it was to some degree a furtherance of a trade dispute yet, looking at the substance of the matter, as the Bill .demands, I have no doubt a court would have held that the primary object was not industrial and that therefore the strike was illegal.” Trade union Labourites listened to this admission in the tensest silence.

The second reading was carried by 277 votes to 250. While the division w-as being taken the Liberal benches remained practically fully occupied. The minority consisted of 241 Conservatives and eight Liberals headed by Sir John Simon. One Independent supported the Government. The remainder headed by Mr. Lloyd George abstained. The Labourites, surprised at the size of the majority, cheered the result wildly.