HC Deb 22 December 1919 vol 123 cc1235-8

Land Settlement (Scotland Bill,—That they do not insist upon their Amendments to the Land Settlement (Scotland) Bill to which this House has disagreed, and they agree to the Amendments made by this House in lieu of certain other of the Lords Amendments, without amendment.

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Bill,—That they do not insist upon their Amendments to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Bill to which this House has disagreed, and they agree to the Amendment to the Bill made by this House in lieu of one of them, without amendment.

Housing (Additional Powers) Bill,—That they agree with the Amendment made by the Commons to one of their Amendments to the Housing (Additional Powers) Bill, and they agree with the consequential Amendment made to the Bill by the Commons, without amendment.

Whereupon Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the Order of the House of the 22nd October, proposed the Question, "That this House do now adjourn."

Captain BENN

It will not be necessary to detain the House for more than a few minutes, but this is a small technical matter applying to the Nautical College at Leith. It is in reference to the appointment of provincial committees which are being set up under the new scheme for training teachers in Scotland, and which divides the representation among different institutions. The five educational institutions are of diverse kinds, and the difficulty that arises is that the Nautical College is to be represented by representatives who will obviously be chosen in view of their qualification to represent ordinary educational institutions. It must be obvious to the Scottish Office that this raises considerable inconvenience. We should like to see if these nautical college teachers cannot be representatives on the provincial committees, who are cognisant of the practice and experience peculiar to the work of navigation. I am informed by the Scottish Secretary that if the matter is allowed to rest now the case must necessarily be prejudiced, because he tells me the Order is going to be "laid "again next Session, and in these circumstances I will not put the House to further inconvenience. I simply brought the matter forward in the hope that the Scottish Office might, if possible, meet the case I have put before the House some time next Session.

The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of HEALTH for SCOTLAND (Mr. Pratt)

I rise to express the regret of the Secretary for Scotland that he could not be here, but I will convey to him what the hon. and gallant Member has said.

Colonel YATE

I should not like to leave this House without saying in regard to the speech of the hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle - under - Lyme (Colonel Wedgwood) that I have read all the accounts of the evidence given before the Commission in regard to these riots in the Punjab, and I can only say that a more gross misrepresentation of facts I have never heard in my life than the statement made by the hon. Member. The whole province had been in open rebellion; two gallant warrant officers had been killed; had any mob got across the railway line to the civil cantonments all the women and children would have been massacred; and 700 women and children were got away with this greatest difficulty. I believe some were got away in lorries. The whole province was in rebellion, and General Dyer came in, and I firmly believe that he saved the whole province from being swept by rebellion. The hon. and gallant Member said that future generations of Englishmen would curse the memory of General Dyer. My belief is that every man who is concerned in this rebellion in the Punjab will curse the memory of the hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I do not think, late as it is, I can allow the speech we have just heard to pass unchallenged.

Notice taken that forty Members were not present; House counted, and forty Members not being present,

The house was adjourned at Tea minutes after Eleven of the clock till To-morrow.