§ At the end of Questions
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS(standing at the Bar of the House): A Message from the King, signed by his own hand.
Mr. SPEAKER read the Royal Message (all the Members of the Rouse being uncovered) and it was as followeth: The continued cessation of work in coal mines on the 28th day of June, 1926, having constituted, in the opinion of His Majesty, a state of emergency within the meaning of the Emergency Powers Act, 1920, His Majesty has deemed it proper, by Proclamation made in pursuance of the said Act, and dated the 28th day of June, 1926, to declare that a state of emergency exists.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON - HICKSI beg formally to move,
That His Majesty's Most Gracious Message he taken into consideration tomorrow.Perhaps the, right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition will consult with me as to whether to-morrow or Friday will be more suitable.
§ Mr. RAMSAY MacDONALDWe will consult with the right hon. Gentleman, but notice has been given to take it on Friday.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI want to oppose this Motion made by the Home Secretary. Having in mind the Debate of last evening, I should like to ask whether in an ordinary Debate the King can send messages to this House? I challenge his right.
§ Mr. SPEAKEROn a previous occasion the hon. Member for Gorbals raised that point. I dealt with it then. He must please accept my ruling that the King's name must not be brought in.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI accept it quite readily, but might I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to bear in mind that I was quoting the words that have been 1151 used by the Home Secretary. It was in no way to go against your ruling, although I may say it is quite true that I have no respect and nothing but contempt for royalty. In point of fact—[Interruption].
§ Mr. PENNYOn a point of Order. In view of the fact that hon. Members take the Oath of Allegiance, is the hon. Member for Gorbals in order in bringing such a matter before the House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERAn hon. Member in this country is, of course, entitled on a proper occasion to discuss the methods of the Government. He is not entitled, however, to do so except on a relevant occasion.
§ Mr. BUCHANANThis Motion has been brought forward by the Government and it has been brought forward because the Privy Council, or a section of the Privy Council, consider that this House ought to consider it. The advice of the Government, through His Majesty, is to bring forward this perpetual Motion and suggest that it should be considered to-morrow. It seems to me, in the first place, that the Government, having decided to give two days to the Coal Mines Bill℄the, Committee stage and Third Reading—the bringing forward of this Motion to-morrow is breaking a bargain which has already been made. I want to make that point firstly. My second point with regard to these Regulations is: this House ought not to proceed to consider them at all. There is no reason in the world why we should consider those Regulations.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat may be a matter for debate when the Motion for the reply is brought before the House on Friday.
§ Mr. BUCHANANYes, Sir; but I am dealing with the point that these Regulations or that this Message should be considered to-morrow. I want to urge that they ought not to be considered by us to-morrow, or on Friday, or on Monday. I wish to submit to you that they ought not to be discussed again; that they ought to be delayed, and further delayed. I intended, if I were in order, to submit reasons why delay should take place. You have this particular dispute going on, and if the Government would withdraw their eight-hours Bill and a 1152 general armistice were declared, allowing the men to resume work on the old terms, there would be no use for this. I suggest that this Bill ought to be delayed until that course is taken by the Government. My awn view is that if you force this through on Friday, all you are doing is to add to the struggle, which is already bitter. I know because
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is an argument put forward by the hon. Member which it will be quite proper to bring forward at the next stage, but which is not proper at this stage. The Proclamation has been issued, and the next stage rests with the House when the Message is being considered. Then, I understand, an Amendment is to be moved from the Front Opposition Bench raising that very point.
§ Mr. STEPHENOn a point of Order. Surely if this House decides not to take this Message, not to accept the word of the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary, then this whole matter will go by the board.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat would not be so. It would only be discourteous to His Majesty, without being effective in any other way.
§ Mr. STEPHENThe Home Secretary has made a definite Motion that this Message from His Majesty should be considered. I take it that is to-morrow?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think the hon. Member does not quite understand. This is merely one of the forms of courtesy used in the House—the usual form. It will not make any difference one way or the other to the course of business.
§ Mr. BUCHANANOn a point of Order. While accepting your ruling in this matter, surely, this Motion means, in fact, that His Majesty is carrying out the wishes of the Government for the time being through the Privy Council? Does it not mean that, if we thank His Majesty in effect we are strengthening the Government, because if the Government did not advise him he would not do it, and, therefore, would I not be in order in protesting on the ground that it is Government action simply we are fighting and not His Majesty, who is only acting on the advice of the Ministers?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a point with which I dealt on the last occasion. I would remind the hon. Gentleman that the rights of this House are fully protected. This is not the time to debate that but when an Amendment, if any, be put forward to the Motion.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask whether this is a Motion on which we can divide?
§ Mr. SPEAKERCertainly, it can be divided on.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIf it be such a Motion, why is it not possible to debate it
§ Mr. SPEAKERBecause this is not the occasion on which to raise the merits of the question. That will be when the House comes to consider the question of a Reply being made.
§ Mr. THURTLEIs it not a fact that the effect of this Motion is to allot a certain part of the available time of the House to-morrow to the consideration of this Message, and, if that be the case, are we not entitled to argue whether or not we shall set aside part of to-morrow's time for the purpose of considering the Message?
§ Commander EYRES MONSELLMay I say that there is no intention whatever of taking this Message to-morrow, and that we have given notice to the House that it will be taken on Friday. It is merely put down for to-morrow as an ordinary Order. For instance, to-day the Finance Bill is down, but there is no intention of taking it to-day.
§ Mr. BATEYI do not think that you, Sir, have ruled that it is out of order to debate this question, You have merely suggested that, as a matter of courtesy the Motion ought to be passed.
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt is out of order to discuss the question which the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan) was trying to raise, because the proper occasion on which to do that will b[...] when a Reply is being made.
§ Mr. BATEYWhat we want to do is to oppose this Proclamation on every occasion, and each time—this is the third occasion—less time is given to it.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe proper occasion on which to discuss the merits of the question will be when the Motion for a Reply is made.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI do not intend to continue any further and I accept your ruling, though I protest against the action of His Majesty in Council, which of course is taken on the advice of the Government.
§ Mr. TAYLORWould it be in order to move an Amendment that it be considered on Wednesday?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThis is only a formal Motion.
Question put, "That His Majesty's Most Gracious Message be taken into consideration To-morrow."
§ The House divided: Ayes, 278; Noes, 119.
1157| Division No. 304.] | AYES | [4.7 p.m. |
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Boothby, R..J. G. | Cazalet, Captain Victor A. |
| Agg-Gardner, Rt. Hon. Sir James T. | Bourne, Captain Robert Croft | Cecil, Rt. Hon. Sir Evelyn (Aston) |
| Ainsworth, Major Charles | Bowater, Sir T. Vansittart | Cecil, Rt. Hon. Lord H. (Ox. Univ.) |
| Albery, Irving James | Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Chadwick, Sir Robert Burton |
| Alexander, E. E. (Leyton) | Boyd-Carpenter, Major A. | Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. J. A. (Birm., W.) |
| Amery, Rt. Hon. Leopold C. M. S. | Brass, Captain W. | Charteris, Brigadier-General J. |
| Applin, Colonel R. V. K. | Bridgeman, Rt. Hon. William Clive | Chilcott, Sir Warden |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon, Wilfrid W. | Briggs, J. Harold | Christie, J. A. |
| Astbury, Lieut.-Commander F. W. | Briscoe, Richard George | Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer |
| Astor, Viscountess | Brittain, Sir Harry | Churchman, Sir Arthur C. |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Clayton, G. C. |
| Balniel, Lord | Brooke, Brigadier-General C. R. I. | Cobb. Sir Cyril |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Brown-Lindsay, Major H. | Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. |
| Barnston, Major Sir Harry | Brown, Maj. D. C. (N'th'I'd., Hexham) | Cohen, Major J. Brunel |
| Beamish, Captain T. P. H. | Brown, Brig.-Gen. H.C.(Berks, Newb'y) | Colfox, Major Wm. Phillips |
| Beckett, Sir Gervase (Leeds, N.) | Buckingham. Sir H. | Conway, Sir W. Martin |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Bull, Rt. Hon. Sir William James | Cooper, A. Duff |
| Bern, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) | Bullock, Captain M. | Cope, Major William |
| Bentinck, Lord Henry Cavendish- | Burman, J. B. | Courthope, Lieut Col. Sir George L. |
| Berry, Sir George | Butler, Sir Geoffrey | Cowan, Sir Wm. Henry (Islington, N.) |
| Bethel, A. | Cadogan, Major Hon. Edward | Craig, Ernest (Chester, Crewe) |
| Betterton, Henry B. | Campbell, E. T. | Craik, Rt. Hon. Sir Henry |
| Bird, E. R. (Yorks, W. R., Skipton) | Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Crooke, J. Smedley (Derltend) |
| Blundell, F. N. | Cayzer, Maj. Sir Herbt. R. (Prtsmth.S.) | Crookshank, Col. C. de W. (Berwick) |
| Crookshank, Cpt.H.(Lindsey,Gainsbro) | Horlick, Lieut.-Colonel J. N. | Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y, Ch'ts'y) |
| Conliffe, Sir Herbert | Howard, Captain Hon. Donald | Ropner, Major L. |
| Curzon, Captain Viscount | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M.(Hackney, N.) | Ruggles-Brise, Major E. A. |
| Davidson,.J.(Hertt'd, Hemel Hempst'd) | Hurd, Percy A. | Rye, F. G. |
| Davies, Dr. Vernon | Hutchison, G.A. Clark (M idl'n & P'bl's) | Salmon, Major I. |
| Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | Inskip, Sir Thomas Walker H. | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) |
| Davies, Sir Thomas (Cirencester) | Jackson, Sir H. (Wandsworth, Cen'l) | Sandeman, A. Stewart |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Jacob, A. E. | Sanders, Sir Robert A. |
| Dawson, Sir Philip | Jones, G. W. H, (Stoke Newington) | Sanderson, Sir Frank |
| Dean, Arthur Wellesley | Jones, Henry Haydn, (Merioneth) | Sandon, Lord |
| Dixon, Captain Rt. Hon. Herbert | Joynson-Hicks, Rt. Hon. Sir William | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. |
| Drewe, C. | Kennedy, A. R. (Preston). | Savery, S. S. |
| Duckworth, John | Kenyon, Barnet | Shaw, Capt. W. W. (Wilts., Westb'y) |
| Eden, Captain Anthony | Kidd, J. (Linlithgow) | Sheffield, sir Berkeley |
| Edmondson, Major A. J. | Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement | Shepperson, E. W. |
| Edwards, J. Hugh (Accrington) | Lamb, J. Q. | Simms, Dr. John M. (Co. Down) |
| Elliot, Major Walter E. | Lister, Cunliffe-, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip | Sinclair, Col. T. (Queen's Univ., Belfast) |
| Ellis, R. G. | Locker-Lampson, G. (Wood Green) | Skelton, A. N. |
| England, Colonel A. | Locker-Lampson, Com. 0. (Handsw'th) | Slaney, Major P. Kenyon |
| Erskine Lord (Somerset Weston-s. M.) | Loder,.J. de V. | Smith, R. W. (Aberd'n & Kinc'dine, C.) |
| Erskine,, James Malcolm Monteith | Lougher, L. | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) |
| Evans, Captain A. (Cardiff, South) | Lowe, Sir Francis William | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. |
| Everard, W. Lindsay | Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Vere | Sprot, Sir Alexander |
| Fairfax, Captain J. G. | Lumley, L. R. | Stanley, Col. Hon. G.F.(Will'sden,E.) |
| Falle, Sir Bertram G. | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Stanley, Lord (Fylde) |
| Fanshawe, Commander G. D. | McDonnell, Colonel Hon. Angus | Steel, Major Samuel Strang |
| Fieiden, E. B. | Maclntyre, lan | Stott, Lieut.-Colonel W. H. |
| Finburgh, S. | McLean, Major A. | Streatfeild, Captain S. R. |
| Ford, Sir P. J. | Macmillan, Captain H. | Strickland, Sir Gerald |
| Forestier-Walker, Sir L. | Macnaghten, Hon. Sir Malcolm | Stuart, Crichton-, Lord C. |
| Forrest, W | Maitland, Sir Arthur D. Steel- | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn |
| Foxcroft, Captain C. T. | Makins, Brigadier-General E. | Sueter, Rear-Admlral Murray Fraser |
| Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Malone, Major P. B. | Tanker, Major R. Inigo |
| Gadle, Lieut.-Colonel Anthony | Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn | Templeton, W. P. |
| Ganzonl, Sir John | Margesson, Captain D. | Thom, Lt.-Col. J. G. (Dumbarton) |
| Gates, Percy | Marriott, Sir J. A. R. | Thomas, Sir Robert John (Anglesey) |
| Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Meyer, Sir Frank | Thompson, Luke (Sunderland) |
| Glyn, Major R. G. C. | Mitchell, S. (Lanark, Lanark) | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, South) |
| Goff, Sir Park | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell- |
| Gower, Sir Robert | Moore, Lieut.-Colonel T. C. R. (Ayr) | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| Greene, W. P. Crawford | Morrison Bell, Sir Arthur Clive | Waddington, R. |
| Greenwood, Rt. H n. Sir H. (W'th's'w,E) | Murchison, C. K. | Ward, Lt.-Col. A. L. (Kingston-on Hull) |
| Gretton, Colonel John | Nall, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Joseph | Warner, Brigadier-General W. W |
| Grotrian, H. Brent | Nelson, Sir Frank | Warrender, Sir Victor |
| Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Hacking, Captain Douglas H. | Nicholson, O. (Westminster) | Watson, Sir F. (Pudsey and Otley) |
| Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Nicholson, Col. Rt. Hn.W. G. (Ptrsf'ld.) | Watson, Rt. Hon. W. (Carlisle) |
| Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Nield, Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert | Watts, Dr. T. |
| Harrison, G. J. C. | Nuttall, Ellis | White, Lieut.-Colonel G. Dairymple |
| Hartington, Marquess of | Oakley, T. | Wiggins, William Martin |
| Harvey, G. (Lambeth, Kennington) | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Williams, A. M. (Cornwall, Northern) |
| Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Ormsby-Gore, Hon. William | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Haslam, Henry C. | Owen, Major G. | Williams, C. P. (Denbigh, Wrexham) |
| Hawke, John Anthony | Penny, Frederick George | Williams, Herbert G. (Reading) |
| Headlam, Lieut.-Colonel C. M. | Perkins, Colonel E. K. | Wilson, M. J. (York, N. R., Richm'd) |
| Henderson, Capt. R. R. (Oxford, Henley) | Perring, Sir William George | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Henderson, Lieut.-Col. V. L. (Bootle) | Peto, Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl |
| Heneage, Lieut.-Col. Arthur P. | Peto, G. (Somerset, Frome) | Wise, Sir Fredric |
| Hennessy, Major J. R. G. | Pliditch, Sir Philip | Wolmer, Viscount |
| Herbert, S. (York, N.R., Scar. & Wh'by) | Power, Sir John Cecil | Womersley, W. J. |
| Hills, Major John Wailer | Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton | Wood, E. (Chest'r, Stalyb'dge & Hyde) |
| Hilton, Cecil | Preston, William | Wood, Sir H. K. (Woolwich, West) |
| Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. | Price, Major C. W. M. | Wood, Sir S. Hill. (High Peak) |
| Hogg, Rt. Hon. Sir D.(St. Marylebone) | Radford, E. A. | Worthington-Evans. Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Holland, Sir Arthur | Raine, W. | Wragg, Herbert |
| Holt, Captain H. P. | Ramsden, E. | Yerburgh, Major Robert D. T. |
| Hope. Sir Harry (Forfar) | Rawson, Sir Alfred Cooper | |
| Hopkins, J. W. W. | Reid, Capt. A. S. C. (Warrington) | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) | Rhys, Hon. C. A. U. | Commander B. Eyres Monsell and |
| Hore Belisha, Leslie | Rice, Sir Frederick | Colonel Gibbs. |
| NOES. | ||
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fife. West) | Buchanan, G, | Day, Colonel Harry |
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro') | Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel | Dennison, R. |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Cape, Thomas | Dunnico, H. |
| Baker, J. (Wolverhampton, Bilston) | Charleton, H. C. | Gardner, J. P. |
| Barnes, A. | Clowes, S. | Gibbins, Joseph |
| Barr, J. | Compton, Joseph | Gillett, George M. |
| Batey, Joseph | Connolly, M, | Gosling, Harry |
| Beckett, John (Gateshead) | Cove, W. G. | Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) |
| Broad, F. A. | Dalton, Hugh | Greenail, T. |
| Bromfield, William | Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Coins.) |
| Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Davison, J. E. (Smethwick) | Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) |
| Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) |
| Grundy, T. W. | Murnin, H. | Sullivan, J. |
| Hall, F. (York, W.R., Normanton) | Oliver, George Harold | Sutton, J. E. |
| Hardie, George D. | Palin, John Henry | Taylor, R. A. |
| Hartshorn, Rt. Hon. Vernon | Paling, W. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Hayday, Arthur | Ponsonby, Arthur | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Hayes, John Henry | Potts, John S | Thurtle, E. |
| Henderson, Right Hon. A. (Burnley) | Purcell, A. A. | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Henderson, T. (Glasgow) | Richardson, R. (Houghton-le-Spring) | Townend, A. E. |
| Hirst, G. H. | Riley, Bee | Varley, Frank B. |
| Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) | Ritson, J. | Viant, S. P. |
| Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Robinson, W. C.(Yorks, W.R., Elland) | Walsh, Rt. Hon. Stephen |
| John, William (Rhondda, West) | Rose, Frank H. | Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) |
| Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Saklatvala, Shapurji | Watts-Morgan, Lt.-Col, D. (Rhondda) |
| Jones, T. I. Mardy (Pontypridd) | Scrymgeour, E. | Webb, Rt. Hon. Sidney |
| Kelly, W. T. | Scurr, John | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Josiah |
| Kennedy, T. | Sexton, James | Welsh, J. C. |
| Kirkwood, D. | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) | Westwood, J. |
| Lansbury, George | Shiels, Dr. Drummond | Whiteley, W. |
| Lawrence, Susan | Sitch, Charles H. | Williams, David (Swansea, East) |
| Lawson, John James | Slesser, Sir Henry H. | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Lianelly) |
| Lee, F. | Smillie, Robert | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Lowth, T. | Smith, H. B. Lees (Keighley) | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Lunn, William | Smith, Rennie (Penistone) | Windsor, Walter |
| MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Aberavon) | Snell, Harry | Wright, W. |
| Mackinder, W. | Snowdon, Rt. Hon. Philip | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| MacLaren, Andrew | Spencer, G. A. (Broxtowe) | |
| March, S. | Spoor, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Charles | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Mitchell, E. Rosslyn (Palsley) | Stamford, T. W. | Mr. Allen Parkinson and Mr. |
| Montague, Frederick | Stephen, Campbell | Charles Edwards. |