HC Deb 26 April 1937 vol 323 cc35-6
Mr. Dunn

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House in order to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the refusal of the Home Secretary to take immediate action to prevent further breaches of the peace at Harworth.

Mr. Speaker

I am afraid I could not accept the hon. Member's Motion for the Adjournment of the House on a matter of that kind. The Home Secretary has told us that he has nothing to report, and the situation is quite quiet.

Mr. Bellenger

May I point out to you, Sir, as the matter is one affecting my own constituency, that affairs in Harworth are in a state which may rapidly develop into riots. I, therefore, ask whether you will reconsider your decision, as this is a matter not only of local but of national importance?

Mr. T. Williams

May I draw your attention, Sir, to the fact that on Saturday evening a special midnight court was held and six persons who had been apprehended were brought before the court and, in view of the feeling in the district that those who are working are causing the trouble, and in order to avoid any further riots or misconduct, or breaking of the peace, injuring men, women and children, would it not be in the interests of peace and good local government and good relationships if an inquiry were instituted at the moment to ascertain exactly who was responsible for provoking the riots?

Mr. Speaker

All those things may be true and important, and it is quite possible that it may be necessary to hold an inquiry into them, but that does not make it a definite matter upon which the Adjournment of the House can be moved under Standing Order No. 8.

Mr. James Griffiths

Arising out of the dispute at Harworth, a national conference of delegates of the Miners' Federation has been called for Friday in London and the decision of that conference will in no small measure be determined by the events now taking place at Harworth. In view of the possibility of a ballot vote of the men in favour of tendering notices, which will mean a national coal strike, would it not be in the national interest that we should have an opportunity of fully discussing the events of the week?

Mr. Speaker

I have said that all those things may be quite true, and we might easily have a discussion upon them, but that is not a definite question on which I can allow the Adjournment of the House to be moved under the Standing Order.