§ Mr. O'GRADYI beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the deadlock that has been reached in the transport trade of the Port of London, owing to the refusal of the masters to negotiate with the men's representatives, or to refer the matters in dispute to arbitration, and to the further fact that the Commissioner appointed by the Government has reported that in five items out of seven the men have proved their case against the employers for breach of agreement, he will grant sufficient time to enable this House to pass a Bill amending the Port of London Authority Act so as to enable the Board of Trade to set up a Port Board consisting of representatives of the federated employers and the men's organisations, to which all questions of wages, hours, and conditions of labour shall stand referred, or alternatively whether he will give facilities for the passage of the Industrial Agreements Bill, introduced by the hon. Member for Leicester?
Mr. BUXTONThe Prime Minister, who is unavoidably prevented from being present, has asked me to answer this question on his behalf. I am advised that any Bill amending the Port of London Act, as suggested in the question, would necessarily be subject to the procedure relating to 1008 private Bills, which would involve November notices and representation of interests by counsel. It would not, therefore, be practicable, even if desirable, as an immediate step. I have not seen the text of the Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Leicester. I understand it has not yet been circulated. I may add that since the recent discussion on my hon. Friend's Motion, for which the Government were glad to give special facilities, every aspect of the question has been and is engaging the earnest attention of the Government whose good offices are always available should the parties concerned desire it.
§ Mr. O'GRADYIn consequence of the unsatisfactory reply given by the right hon. Gentleman, I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House on a matter of definite and urgent public importance, namely, the refusal of the London Port employers to allow the men to return to work on the agreements in existence prior to the dispute, which were signed by the Right Hon. John Burns, the Right Hon. Winston Churchill, the Right, Hon. Sydney Buxton, C. F. G. Master-man, Sir George Askwith, and others, thus causing suffering by starvation of a large number of women and children in the East End of London, and involving the ruin of many businesses not connected with the dispute.
Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member for East Leeds (Mr. O'Grady) asks leave to move the Adjournment—"on a matter of definite and urgent public importance, namely, the refusal of the London Port employers to allow the men to return to work on the agreements in existence prior to the dispute, which were signed by the Right Hon. John Burns, the Right Hon. Winston Churchill, the Right Hon. Sydney Buxton, C. F. G. Masterman, Sir George Askwith, and others, thus causing suffering by starvation of a large number of women and children in the East End of London, and involving the ruin of many businesses not connected with the dispute." Has the hon. Member the leave of the House?
The pleasure of the House not having been signified, Mr. SPEAKER called oh those Members who supported the Motion to rise in their places, and not less than forty Members having accordingly risen, the Motion stood over, under Standing Order No. 10, until a Quarter-past Eight o'clock this evening.