§ At the end of Questions—
§ The PRIME MINISTER(standing at the Bar of the House): A Message from the King, signed by his own hand. Mr. SPEAKER read the Royal Message, which was as followeth:
Whereas by the Emergency Powers Act, 1920, it is enacted that if it appears to Us that any action has been taken or is immediately threatened by any persons or body of persons of such a nature and on so extensive a. scale as to be calculated, by interfering with the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel, or light, or with the means of locomotion, to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community, of the essentials of life, We may, by Proclamation, declare that a state of emergency exists:And whereas the present immediate threat of cessation of work in Coal Mines does, in Our opinion, constitute a state of emergency within the meaning of the said Act:Now, therefore, in pursuance of the said Act, We do, by and with the advice of Our Privy Council, hereby declare that a state of emergency exists.Given at Our Court at Buckingham Palace, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-six, and in the Sixteenth year of Our Reign.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI beg to move,
That an humble address be presented to His Majesty, thanking His Majesty for His Most Gracious Message communicating to this House that His Majesty has deemed it proper, by Proclamation made in pursuance of the Emergency Powers Act, 1920, and dated the 30th day of April, 1926, to declare that a state of emergency exists.
Mr. MacDONALDI have not risen to start a Debate, but is it possible to gut this Motion on the Paper, instead of having it settled straight away?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman remembers that this is a purely formal stage. There never is a Debate on it, and I have moved it to-day to get it out of 36 the way, because, as soon as it is out of the way, we can then put down the Regulations which are debatable. They have to be debated within the next four or five days—it may be to-morrow, it may be Wednesday, or Thursday. They will be put down on the Paper in due course, and they are debatable. That is the reason why I put this Motion forward, in order to get it out of the way.
Mr. MacDONALDI only wanted to put that question. I think it would be far more convenient if the Debate took place on the Motion that the right hon. Gentleman is about to move, "That this House do now adjourn." As long as it is understood that this is purely forma, and that all the consequences arising out of it will later on be the subject of Debate, I propose to let it go.
§ Mr. NEIL MACLEANMay I ask the Prime Minister a question? As far as I could catch the wording of the Message as it was read, it stated that the emergency which has been declared is owing to a threatened stoppage of work in the coal-mining industry. I think some such words as those were used. May I ask the Prime Minister who has threatened to stop work in the coal-mining industry?
§ The PRIME MINISTERPerhaps the hon. Gentleman will remember that any Government that thinks there is a fear of stoppage in any essential service may deem it wise to move for these powers, as was done by the hon. Gentleman's own Government in 1924, although, owing to a settlement at the last moment, it was not necessary to put those powers into force.
§ Mr. MACLEANThat is not a reply to my question, which was, who has threatened a stoppage of work in the coal-mining industry?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question will be answered afterwards, on the next Motion.
§
Question put,
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, thanking His Majesty for His Most Gracious Message communicating to this House that His Majesty has deemed it proper, by Proclamation made in pursuance of the Emergency Powers Act, 1920, and dated the 30th day of April, 1926, to declare that a state of emergency exists.
§ The House divided: Ayes, 308; Noes, 109.
39| Division No. 196.] | AYES. | [3.35 p.m. |
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Dalkeith, Earl of | Hutchison, Sir Robert (Montrose) |
| Agg-Gardner, Rt. Hon. Sir James T. | Dalziel, Sir Davison | Iliffe, Sir Edward M. |
| Albery, Irving James | Davidson, Major-General Sir John H. | Inskip, Sir Thomas Walker H. |
| Alexander, Sir Wm. (Glasgow, Cent'l) | Davies, Dr. Vernon | Jackson, Lieut.-Colonel Rt. Hon. F. S. |
| Amery, Rt. Hon. Leopold C. M. S. | Davies, David (Montgomery) | Jacob, A. E. |
| Applin, Colonel R. V. K. | Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert |
| Ansley, Lord | Davies, Sir Thomas (Cirencester) | Jephcott, A. R. |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Willfrid W. | Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Jones, G. W. H. (Stoke Newington) |
| Astor, Viscountess | Dean, Arthur Wellesley | Joynson-Hicks, Rt. Hon. Sir William |
| Atkinson, C. | Dixey, A. C. | Kennedy, A. R. (Preston) |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Drewe, C. | Kindersley, Major G. M. |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Eden, Captain Anthony | Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement |
| Balniel, Lord | Edmondson, Major A. J. | Knox, Sir Alfred |
| Banks, Reginald Mitchell | Edwards, John H. (Accrington) | Lamb, J. Q. |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Elliot, Captain Walter E. | Lane Fox, Col. Rt. Hon. George R. |
| Barnett, Major Sir Richard | Ellis, R. G. | Lister, Cunliffe-, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip |
| Barnston, Major Sir Harry | Elveden, Viscount. | Little, Dr. E. Graham |
| Beamish, Captain T. P. H. | Erskine, Lord (Somerset, Weston-s-M.) | Locker-Lampson, G. (Wood Green) |
| Beckett, Sir Gervase (Leeds, N.) | Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith | Locker-Lampson, Com. O. (Handsw'th) |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Evans, Captain A. (Cardiff, South) | Loder, J. de V. |
| Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) | Evans, Capt. Ernest (Welsh Univer.) | Looker, Herbert William |
| Bennett, A. J. | Everard, W. Lindsay | Lord, Walter Greaves[...] |
| Bentinck, Lord Henry Cavendish[...] | Fairfax, Captain J. G. | Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Vere |
| Berry, Sir George | Falle, Sir Bertram G. | Luce, Major Gen. Sir Richard Harman |
| Bird, E. R. (Yorks, W. R., Skipton) | Fanshawe, Commander G. D. | Lunley, L. R. |
| Bird, Sir R. B. (Wolverhampton, W.) | Fielden, E. B. | MacAndrew, Major Charles Glen |
| Blundell, F. N. | Forrest, W. | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) |
| Bowater, Sir T. Vansittart | Foster, Sir Harry S. | Macdonald, R. (Glasgow, Cathcart) |
| Bowyer, Capt. G. E. W. | Fraser, Captain Ian | McDonnell, Colonel Hon. Angus |
| Boyd-Carpenter, Major A. | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E[...] | McLean, Major A. |
| Brass, Captain W. | Frece, Sir Walter de | Macmillan, Captain H. |
| Briant, Frank | Galbraith, J. F. W. | Macnaghten, Hon. Sir Malcolm |
| Bridgeman, Rt. Hon. William Clive | Ganzoni, Sir John | McNeill, Rt. Hon, Ronald John |
| Briggs, J. Harold | Gault, Lieut.-Col. Andrew Hamilton | Macquisten, F. A. |
| Briscoe, Richard George | George, Rt. Hon. David Lloyd | Mac Robert, Alexander M. |
| Brittain, Sir Harry | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Maitland, Sir Arthur D. Steel[...] |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Glyn, Major R. G. C. | Malone, Major P. B. |
| Brooke, Brigadier-General C. R. I. | Goff, Sir Park | Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn |
| Broun-Lindsay, Major H. | Gower, Sir Robert | Margesson, Captain D. |
| Brown, Maj. D. C. (N'th'l'd., Hexham) | Grace, John | Mason, Lieut.-Col. Glyn K. |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Berks, Newb'y) | Grant, J. A. | Meller, R. J. |
| Buckingham, Sir H. | Grattan-Doyle, Sir N. | Meyer, Sir Frank |
| Bull, Rt. Hon. Sir William James | Greene, W. P. Crawford | Milne, J. S. Wardlaw- |
| Bullock, Captain M. | Grotrian, H. Brent | Mitchell, W. Foot (Saffron Walden) |
| Burgoyne, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Alan | Guest, Capt. Rt. Hon. F. E. (Bristol, N.) | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) |
| Burman, J. B. | Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. | Morden, Col. W. Grant |
| Burton, Colonel H. W. | Gunston, Captain D. W. | Moreing, Captain A. H. |
| Butt, Sir Alfred | Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Morrison, H. (Wilts, Salisbury) |
| Cadogan, Major Hon. Edward | Hall, Vice-Admiral Sir R. (Eastbourne) | Morrison-Bell, Sir Arthur Clive |
| Calne, Gordon Hall | Hamilton, Sir R. (Orkney & Shetland) | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) |
| Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Hammersley, S. S. | Newton, Sir D. G. C. (Cambridge) |
| Cayzer, Sir C. (Chester, City) | Hanbury, C. | Nicholson, O. (Westminster) |
| Cazalet, Captain Victor A. | Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Nicholson, Col. Rt. Hn. W. G. (Ptrsf'ld.) |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Sir Evelyn (Aston) | Harney, E. A. | Nield, Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Lord H. (Ox. Univ.) | Harris, Percy A. | Nuttall, Ellis |
| Chadwick, Sir Robert Burton | Harrison, G. J. C. | Oakley, T. |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Ladywood) | Hartington, Marquess of | O'Connor, T. J. (Bedford, Luton) |
| Charteris, Brigadier-General J. | Harvey, G. (Lambeth, Kennington) | Pennefather, Sir John |
| Christie, J. A. | Hawke, John Anthony | Penny, Frederick George |
| Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer | Headlam, Lieut.-Colonel C. M. | Perkins, Colonel E. K. |
| Churchman, Sir Arthur C. | Henderson, Lieut.-Col. V. L. (Bootle) | Peto, Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) |
| Clarry, Reginald George | Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur P. | Peto, G. (Somerset, Frome) |
| Clayton, G. C. | Herbert, S. (York, N. R., Scar. & Wh'by) | Philipson, Mabel |
| Cobb, Sir Cyril | Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. | Plelou, D. P. |
| Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. | Hogg, Rt. Hon. Sir D. (St. Marylebone) | Pilcher, G. |
| Colfox, Major Wm. Phillips | Hohler, Sir Gerald Fitzroy | Pilditch, Sir Philip |
| Collins, Sir Godfrey (Greenock) | Holbrook, Sir Arthur Richard | Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Holland, Sir Arthur | Preston, William |
| Cooper, A. Duff | Holt, Captain H. P. | Price, Major C. W. M. |
| Couper, J. B. | Homan, C. W. J. | Radford, E. A. |
| Courtauld, Major J. S. | Hope, Capt. A. O. J. (Warw'k, Nun.) | Ramsden, E. |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Hope, Sir Harry (For far) | Reid, Capt. A. S. C. (Warrington) |
| Cowan, Sir Wm. Henry (Islington, N.) | Hopkins, J. W. W. | Remer, J. R. |
| Craig, Ernest (Chester, Crewe) | Hopkinson, Sir A. (Eng. Universities) | Remnant, Sir James |
| Craik, Rt. Hon. Sir Henry | Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster. Mossley) | Rantoul, G. S. |
| Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Horne, Rt. Hon. Sir Robert S. | Rice, Sir Frederick |
| Crooke, J. Smedley (Deritend) | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.) | Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y, Ch'ts'y) |
| Crookshank, Col. C. de W. (Berwick) | Hudson, R. S. (Cumberl'nd, Whiteh'n) | Roberts, E. H. G. (Flint) |
| Crookshank, Cpt. H. (Lindsey, Gainsbro) | Hume, Sir G. H. | Roberts, Samuel (Hereford, Hereford) |
| Cunliffe, Sir Herbert | Huntingfield, Lord | Robinson, Sir T. (Lancs., Stretford) |
| Curtis-Bennett, Sir Henry | Hurd, Percy A. | Ropner, Major L. |
| Curzon, Captain Viscount | Hutchison, G.A. Clark (Midl'n & P'bl's) | Ruggles-Brise, Major E. A. |
| Runciman, Rt. Hon. Walter | Stanley, Hon. O. F. G. (Westm'eland) | Ward, Lt.-Col. A. L.(Kingston-on-Hull) |
| Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) | Steel, Major Samuel Strang | Warner, Brigadier-General W. W. |
| Rye, F. G. | Storry-Deans, R. | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Salmon, Major I. | Stott, Lieut.-Colonel W. H. | Wheler, Major Sir Granville C. H. |
| Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) | Streatfeild, Captain S. R. | White, Lieut.-Colonel G. Dairymple |
| Sandeman, A. Stewart | Strickland, Sir Gerald | Williams, A. M. (Cornwall, Northern) |
| Sanders, Sir Robert A. | Stuart, Crichton-, Lord C. | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Sanderson, Sir Frank | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn) | Williams, C. P. (Denbigh, Wrexham) |
| Sandon, Lord | Styles, Captain H. Walter | Wilson, R. R. (Stafford, Lichfield) |
| Shaw, R. G. (Yorks, W.R., Sowerby) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray Fraser | Winby, Colonel L. P. |
| Shaw, Lt.-Col.A. D. Mcl (Renfrew, W) | Sugden, Sir Wilfrid | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Sinclair, Major Sir A. (Caithness) | Sykes, Major-Gen. Sir Frederick H. | Wise, Sir Fredric |
| Sinclair, Col. T. (Queen's Univ., Belfst) | Tasker, Major R. Inigo | Withers, John James |
| Skelton, A. N. | Thom, Lt.-Col, J. G. (Dumbarton) | Wolmer, Viscount |
| Slaney, Major P. Kenyon | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, South) | Womersley, W. J. |
| Smith, R. W. (Aberd'n & Kinc'dine, C.) | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell | Wood, E. (Chest'r, Stalyb'dge & Hyde) |
| Smith-Carington, Neville W. | Tinne, J. A. | Wood, Sir S. Hill (High Peak) |
| Smithers, Waldron | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of | Woodcock, Colonel H. C. |
| Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement | |
| Spender-Clay, Colonel H. | Vaughan-Morgan, Col. K. P. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Sprot, Sir Alexander | Waddington, R. | Commander B. Eyres-Monsell and Colonel Gibbs. |
| Stanley, Lord (Fylde) | Wallace, Captain D. E. |
| NOES | ||
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro') | Guest, L. Haden (Southwark, N.) | Potts, John S. |
| Ammon, Charles George | Hall, F. (York, W. R., Normanton) | Saklatvala, Shapurji |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Salter, Dr. Alfred |
| Baker, J. (Wolverhampton, Bilston) | Hardie, George D. | Scurr, John |
| Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertillery) | Hartshorn, Rt. Hon. Vernon | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) |
| Barnes, A. | Hastings, Sir Patrick | Shepherd, Arthur Lewis |
| Barr, J. | Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Burnley) | Shiels, Or. Drummond |
| Batey, Joseph | Henderson, T. (Glasgow) | Slesser, Sir Henry H. |
| Beckett, John (Gateshead) | Hirst, G. H. | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) |
| Broad, F. A. | Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) | Smith, H. B. Lees (Keighley) |
| Bromfield, William | Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Philip |
| Bromley, J. | John, William (Rhondda, West) | Stamford, T. W. |
| Buchanan, G. | Johnston, Thomas (Dundee) | Stephen, Campbell |
| Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel | Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) |
| Charleton, H. C. | Jones, T. I. Mardy (Pontypridd) | Taylor, R. A. |
| Clowes, S. | Kelly, W. T. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Cluse, W. S. | Kennedy, T. | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Clynes, Rt. Hon. John R. | Kirkwood, D. | Thurtle, E. |
| Compton, Joseph | Lansbury, George | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Connolly, M. | Lawson, John James | Townend, A. E. |
| Cove, W. G. | Lee, F. | Trevelyan, Rt. Hon. C. P. |
| Dalton, Hugh | Lowth, T. | Varley, Frank B. |
| Davies, Evan (Ebbw Vale) | MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Aberavon) | Viant, S. P. |
| Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | Mackinder, W. | Wallhead, Richard C. |
| Day, Colonel Harry | MacLaren, Andrew | Walsh, Rt. Hon. Stephen |
| Duncan, C. | Maclean, Nell (Glasgow, Govan) | Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) |
| Dunnico, H. | MacNeill-Weir, L. | Wedgwood. Rt. Hon. Josiah |
| Gibbins, Joseph | March, S. | Welsh, J. C. |
| Gillett, George M. | Maxton, James | Westwood, J |
| Gosling, Harry | Montague, Frederick | Wheatley, Rt. Hon. J. |
| Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) | Whiteley, W. |
| Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) | Murnin, H. | Williams, David (Swansea, E.) |
| Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Colne) | Oliver, George Harold | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Llanelly) |
| Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Paling, W. | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Windsor, Walter |
| Groves, T. | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. | |
| Grundy, T. W. | Ponsonby, Arthur | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Mr. Warne and Mr. Hayes. |
§ Address to he presented by Privy Councillors or members of His Majesty's Household.