§ 4.0 P.M.
§ Mr. ADAMSONMight I ask the Leader of the House whether, in view of the resumption of negotiations in connection with the coal strike and the advisability of taking no action calculated to impede any movement towards a settlement, the Government will refrain from proceeding with the Emergency Powers Bill until the result of these negotiations is known, and withdraw the Bill altogether in the event of a settlement being reached?
§ Mr. BONAR LAW (Leader of the House)The Government have considered the question, and we believe that it is necessary to proceed with this Bill. The reasons which have induced us to come to that conclusion will be stated by me in the few remarks with which I will introduce the Bill.
Mr. THOMASWill the Government not reconsider the question in the light of the Prime Minister's statement on Thursday, when, speaking in this House, he intimated that he hoped no precipitate action would be takn by anyone? In view of the fact that the strike has lasted a week, that a million men are directly affected and probably another million indirectly affected, that practically no disturbances of any kind have occurred, which is a tribute to the common sense of our people, and that the Government could get the Bill in any day, would it not be taken by those outside as a generous act on the part of the Government if they were to withdraw it now?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not agree with my right hon. Friend in thinking that our proceeding with this Bill is in any sense provocative. It is impossible to give the reasons for that view in answer to a question, but, as I have said, I shall endeavour to do so in introducing the Bill.
Mr. THOMASDoes the right hon. Gentleman not see that it is not so much the effect upon this House as the effect upon those outside? While the House generally may understand and appreciate the situation, it would be mistaken outside.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI can assure my right hon. Friend that all these considerations have been in our minds. We do not think that the view he has expressed is the view which will be found to be held.
§ Sir D. MACLEANIn view of the very great importance of the measure about which questions have already been asked, will the right hon. Gentleman limit the proceedings of this House to-day to the Second Reading?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI had hoped to get the whole of the proceedings to-day, but I am not at all anxious to make a point of that, and, if I find that there is a general feeling in the House that it would 1347 be better to take the Second Reading today and the subsequent stages to-morrow, I shall be quite ready to adopt that course.
§ Mr. BILLINGMight I ask whether it is proposed to proceed with the Emergency Powers Bill in the event of the Irish Debate going on till 11 o'clock?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWYes, we shall endeavour to secure the Second Reading to-day.
§
Motion made, and Question put,
That the Proceedings on the Emergency Powers Bill be exempted at this day's Sitting from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House).
§ The House divided: Ayes, 241; Noes, 54.
1349| Taylor, J. | Warren, Lieut.-Col. Sir Alfred H. | Wise, Frederick |
| Terrell, George (Wilts, Chippenham) | Wason, John Cathcart | Wood, Hon. Edward F. L. (Ripon) |
| Terrell, Captain R. (Oxford, Henley) | Watson, Captain John Bertrand | Wood, Sir H. K. (Woolwich, West) |
| Thomas, Sir Robert J. (Wrexham) | White, Lieut.-Col. G. D. (Southport) | Woolcock, William James U. |
| Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, South) | Whitla, Sir William | Worthlngton-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Thomson, Sir W. Mitchell- (Maryhill) | Wigan, Brig.-Gen. John Tyson | Yate, Colonel Charles Edward |
| Tickler, Thomas George | Williams, Lt.-Com. C. (Tavistock) | Yeo, Sir Alfred William |
| Tryon, Major George Clement | Williamson, Rt. Hon. Sir Archibald | Young, Lieut.-Com. E. H. (Norwich) |
| Vickers, Douglas | Wilson, Capt. A. S. (Holderness) | Young, Sir Frederick W. (Swindon) |
| Ward-Jackson, Major C. L. | Wilson, Daniel M. (Down, West) | Younger, Sir George |
| Ward, Col. L. (Kingston-upon-Hull) | Wilson, Colonel Leslie O. (Reading) | |
| Waring, Major Walter | Wilson-Fox, Henry | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Lord E. Talbot and Captain Guest |
| Division No. 325.] | AYES. | [4.10 p.m |
| Adair, Rear-Admiral Thomas B. S. | Gange, E. Stanley | M'Micking, Major Gilbert |
| Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. C. | Ganzonl, Captain Francis John C. | Macnamara, Rt. Hon. Dr. T. J. |
| Agg-Gardner, Sir Janes Tynte | Gardiner, James | McNeill, Ronald (Kent, Canterbury) |
| Archdale, Edward Mervyn | Geddes, Rt. Hon. Sir E. (Camb'dge) | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. |
| Bagley, Captain E. Asliton | Gibbs, Colonel George Abraham | Malone, Major P. B. (Tottenham, S.) |
| Baird, Sir John Lawrence | Gilmour Lieut.-Colonel John | Manville, Edward |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Glyn, Major Ralph | Marks, Sir George Croydon |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Goff, Sir R. Park | Marriott, John Arthur Ransome |
| Barlow, Sir Montague | Goulding, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward A. | Moles, Thomas |
| Barnes, Rt. Hon. G. (Glas., Gorbals) | Green, Joseph F. (Leicester, W.) | Molson, Major John Elsdale |
| Barnett, Major R. W. | Greene, Lt.-Col. Sir W. (Hack'y, N.) | Mond, Rt. Hon. Sir Alfred M. |
| Barnston, Major Harry | Greenwood, Colonel Sir Hamar | Moore, Major-General Sir Newton J. |
| Barrie, Charles Coupar | Gregory, Holman | Mobre-Brabazon, Lieut.-Col. J. T. C. |
| Barrie, Rt. Hon. H. T. (Lon'derry, N.) | Greig, Colonel James William | Morison, Rt. Hon. Thomas Brash |
| Beauchamp, Sir Edward | Gritten, W. G. Howard | Morris, Richard |
| Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) | Guinness, Lieut.-Col. Hon. W. E. | Munro, Rt. Hon. Robert |
| Bennett, Thomas Jewell | Gwynne, Rupert S. | Neal, Arthur |
| Betterton, Henry B. | Hacking, Captain Douglas H. | Newman, Colonel J. R. p. (Finchley) |
| Birchall, Major J. Dearman | Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) |
| Bird, Sir A. (Wolverhampton, West) | Hambro, Captain Angus Valdemar | Nicholl, Commander Sir Edward |
| Blades, Capt. Sir George Rowland | Hamilton, Major C. G. C. | Nicholson, William G. (Petersfield) |
| Blair, Reginald | Hanna, George Boyle | Nield, Sir Herbert |
| Blake, Sir Francis Douglas | Harmsworth, C. B. (Bedford, Luton) | Norman, Major Rt. Hon. Sir Henry |
| Borwick, Major G. O. | Harris, Sir Henry Percy | O'Neill, Major Hon. Robert W. H. |
| Boscawen, Rt. Hon. Sir A. Griffith. | Henry, Denis S. (Londonderry, S.) | Ormsby-Gore, Captain Hon. W. |
| Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Herbert, Dennis (Hertford, Watford) | Palmer, Brigadier-General G. L. |
| Breese, Major Charles E. | Hewart,. Rt. Hon. Sir Gordon | Parker, James |
| Bridgeman, William Clive | Higham, Charles Frederick | Parry, Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Henry |
| Brittain, Sir Harry | Hills, Major John Waller | Pease, Rt. Hon. Herbert Pike |
| Brown, T. W. (Down, North) | Hinds, John | Peel, Col. Hon. S. (Uxbridge, Mddx.) |
| Buchanan, Lieut.-Colonel A. L. H. | Hoare, Lieut.-Colonel Sir S. J. G. | Percy, Charles |
| Buckley, Lieut.-Colonel A. | Holbrook, Sir Arthur Richard | Perring, William George |
| Bull, Rt. Hon. Sir William James | Hopkins, John W. W. | Philipps, Sir Owen C. (Chester, City) |
| Burn, Col. C. R. (Devon, Torquay) | Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) | Pilditch, Sir Philip |
| Burn, T. H. (Belfast, St. Anne's) | Howard, Major S. G. | Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton |
| Butcher, Sir John George | Hume-Williams, Sir W. Ellis | Pratt, John William |
| Carr, W. Theodore | Hunter, General Sir A. (Lancaster) | Pulley, Charles Thornton |
| Carson, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward H. | Hurd, Percy A. | Purchase, H. G. |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Lord H. (Ox. Univ.) | Hurst, Lieut.-Colonel Gerald B. | Raeburn, Sir William H. |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. J. A.(Birm., W.) | Illingworth, Rt. Hon. A. H. | Randles, Sir John S. |
| Child, Brigadier-General Sir Hill | Inskip, Thomas Walker H. | Raper, A. Baldwin |
| Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston S. | Jackson, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. F. S. | Rawlinson, John Frederick Peel |
| Clay, Lieut.-Colonel H. H. Spender | James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert | Rees, Capt. J. Tudor- (Barnstaple) |
| Clough, Robert | Jephcott, A. R. | Reid, D. D. |
| Coats, Sir Stuart | Jesson, C. | Remnant, Sir James |
| Cockerill, Brigadler-General G. K. | Jodrell, Neville Paul | Richardson, Alexander (Gravesend) |
| Colfox, Major Wm. Phillips | Jones, J. T. (Carmarthen, Llanelly) | Roberts, Sir S. (Sheffield, Ecclesall) |
| Collins, Sir G. P. (Greenock) | Jones, William Kennedy (Hornsey) | Rothschild, Lionel de |
| Colvin, Brig.-General Richard Beale | Joynson-Hicks, Sir William | Roundell, Colonel R. F. |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Kellaway, Rt. Hon. Fredk. George | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) |
| Cowan, Sir H. (Aberdeen and Kinc.) | King, Captain Henry Douglas | Samuel, Rt. Hon. Sir H. (Norwood) |
| Craig, Captain C. C. (Antrim, South) | Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement | Sanders, Colonel Sir Robert A. |
| Craig, Colonel Sir J. (Down, Mid) | Law, Rt. Hon. A. B. (Glasgow, C.) | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. |
| Craik, Rt. Hon. Sir Henry | Lewis, T. A. (Glam., Pontypridd) | Scott, A. M. (Glasgow, Bridgeton) |
| Curzon, Commander Viscount | Lindsay, William Arthur | Scott, Leslie (Liverpool Exchange) |
| Davies, M. Vaughan- (Cardigan) | Lloyd, George Butler | Scott, Sir Samuel (St. Marylebone) |
| Denison-Pender. John C. | Lloyd-Greame, Major Sir P. | Seddon, J. A. |
| Denniss, Edmund R. B. (Oldham) | Locker-Lampson, G. (Wood Green) | Shaw, Hon. Alex. (Kilmarnock) |
| Dixon, Captain Herbert | Locker-Lampson, Com. O. (H'tingd'n) | Shaw, William T. (Forfar) |
| Dockrell, Sir Maurice | Lonsdale, James Rolston | Shortt, Rt. Hon E. (N'castle-on-T.) |
| Donald, Thompson | Lorden, John William | Simm, M. T. |
| Doyle, N. Grattan | Lowe, Sir Francis William | Sprot, Colonel Sir Alexander |
| Duncannon, Viscount | Lyle, C. E. Leonard | Starkey, Captain John R. |
| Edwards, Major J. (Aberavon) | Lynn, R. J. | Steel, Major S. Strang |
| Falle, Major Sir Bertram G. | M'Donald, Dr. Bouverle F. P. | Stewart, Gershom |
| Fell, Sir Arthur | Macdonald, Rt. Hon. John Murray | Sturrock, J. Leng |
| Fisher, Rt. Hon. Herbert A. | Mackinder, Sir H. J. (Camlachie) | Sugden, W. H. |
| Ford, Patrick Johnston | M'Lean, Lieut.-Col. Charles W. W. | Surtees, Brigadier-General H. C. |
| Frece, Sir Walter de | Macmaster, Donald | Sutherland, Sir William |
| NOES. | ||
| Acland, Rt. Hon. F. D. | Guest, J. (York, W. R., Hemsworth) | Sexton, James |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. William | Hartshorn, Vernon | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Asquith, Rt. Hon. Herbert Henry | Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Widnes) | Sitch, Charles H. |
| Barnes, Major H. (Newcastle, E.) | Hogge, James Myles | Smith, W. R. (Wellingborough) |
| Brace, Rt. Hon. William | Jones, J. J. (West Ham, Silvertown) | Swan, J. E. |
| Briant, Frank | Kenworthy, Lieut.-Commander J. M. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Cape, Thomas | Kenyon, Barnet | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Casey, T. W. | Klley, James D. | Ward, Col. J. (Stoke-upon-Trent) |
| Clynes, Rt. Hon. J. R. | Lambert, Rt. Hon. George | Waterson, A. E. |
| Crooks, Rt. Hon. William | Lawson, John J. | Wignall, James |
| Dawes, James Arthur | Lunn, William | Williams, Aneurin (Durham, Consett) |
| Devlin, Joseph | Maclean, Rt. Hon. Sir D. (Midlothian) | Williams, Col. P. (Middlesbrough, E.) |
| Edwards, C. (Monmouth, Bedwellty) | Mills, John Edmund | Wintringham, T. |
| Edwards, G. (Norfolk, South) | Morgan, Major D. Watts | Wood, Major M. M. (Aberdeen, C.) |
| Entwistle, Major C. F. | Murray, Dr. D. (Inverness and Ross) | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Galbraith, Samuel | Newbould, Alfred Ernest | |
| Glanville, Harold James | O'Connor, Thomas P. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Graham, W. (Edinburgh, Central) | Rose, Frank H. | Mr. T. Griffiths and Mr. G. Thorne |
| Grundy, T. W. | Royce, William Stapleton |