BRITISH POLITICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16905, 2 December 1922, Page 12

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE LABOUR AMENDMENT. By Teleeraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, December 30. The Address-in-Kepiy debate was resumed in the House ol Commons by Mr J. K. Ciynes (Labour), who moved the Labour amendment, which expressed regret that in the face of unexampled unemployment, largely as the result of four years mistaken policy, for which the Government, the dominant party in the late Coalition, is responsible, there is no adequate and equitable treatment for the victims of that policy, including the full recognition of what is entirely a national obligation, nor any indication of a change to enable European customers to buy our goods again, so as to restore international trade and. stabilise international exchange. Air Ciynes adversely criticised the Premier’s refusal to meet the unemployed marchers. He urged the necessity for developing foreign trade, together with adequate schemes of public works. Sir Montague Barlow, Minister of Labour, said that notwithstanding the approach of winter, he believed the unemployment position was slowly but steadily improving. A sum of £109.000,000 had been paid out under the Unemployment Insurance Act, of which £79,000.000 had been contributed by the employers, and £38,000,000 by the workers. This exploded the fiction that the benefits payments were a dole coming entirely from the taxpayers pockets. He hoped that the great new arterial road from Manchester to Liverpool would be put in hand shortly. It was estimated to cost £3,000,000, providing work for 20,000 men. Much labour would be absorbed in other roads throughout the country. The afforestation schemes would also employ 2000, and arrears of maintenance repair work 3500.

Government proposed to renew the Trade Facilities Act for twelve months, increasing the maximum capital, in respect of which guarantees would be made for £50,000,000. It was proposed to continue the present arrangements for protecting the Boards of Guardians’ finances. The schemes for the development of electric power were estimated to cost £10,000,000. Mr Hastings (Labour) ifi Lis maiden speech, declared that the real remedy for unemployment would be found in a capital levy.

Sir Alfred Mond, formerly Minister of Health, poured ridicule on Mr Hastings’s proposal, and made the startling suggestion that employers would be induced to engage workless men as a surplus in normal establishments, by permitting the deduction of the amount of the unemployment dole from the trade union rate of wages, the Government. making up the deduction bv continuing the dole to all workers so employed.

The Labourites derided this proposal, *' s,r Alfred Mond raised general cheers later by an appeal for £100.000,000 for Empire development. He declared that they must not look to Europe for trade recoverv, but to the dominions, where two-thirds of the .British trade was done before tho war. The debate was adjourned.