HC Deb 24 November 1893 vol 18 cc1707-8

MR. BOUSFIELD moved that leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for the establishment of Trade Councils. He said, he was desirous to meet as far as he could the views of the right hon. Member for the Forest of Dean; but he could not find any other title to suit the Bill, and he did not think that practically any difficulty would arise, because there would be no confusion where the name "Trade Council" had a territorial appellation put to it, as in the case of the Durham Trades Council.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for the establishment of Trade Councils."—(Mr. Bousfield.)

* MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)

said, he joined the right hon. Baronet the Member for the Forest of Dean in appealing to the hon. Member to find another title for this Bill. There was no probability of the Bill passing, but, if there were, it would lead to great confusion. Trade Councils had been in existence 40 years, and they did not want any State encouragement; they were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. There was scarcely a large town in the United Kingdom in which there was not a Trade Council already established. What the object of the hon. Member could be in proposing that Trade Councils should be established by law when they were already in existence in nearly every large town he failed to understand. It was because he believed that a Bill of this kind would lead to a great deal of confusion in the public mind, and would cause dissatisfaction among the industrial classes, that he felt it his duty to oppose the introduction of it, unless the hon. Member would try to find some other title for the Bill.

Other hon. Members having risen to address the House,

MR. SPEAKER

said, I agreed to permit a short speech in favour of the Bill and another against it; and both having been made, I now proceed to put the Question.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Bousfield, Sir A. Scoble, Mr. Stewart Wallace, Mr. Kearley, and Mr. Whiteley.

Bill presented, and read first time. [Bill 471.]