UNSATISFACTORY STATEMENT.

BY OUR PARLIAMENTARY CORRESPONDENT

It cannot be pretended for a moment that the Government’s statement on the course it is proposed to pursue with respect to payment of the rent of unemployed tenants created a good impression in the House of Commons yesterday. Mr. Clynes was again far from happy in his handling of the business, and Labour-socialist members are already beginning seriously to criticise his leadership of the House. Neither Mr. Ramsay Macdonald nor Mr. Wheatley was present on the Treasury Bench when the announcement was made. The whole matter was left to Mr. Clynes, and his best friends could not say that he dealt with it at all effectively.

Although the Lord Privy Seal failed to make anything like a clear declaration that the Government intend the expenditure incurred by Poor Law authorities in the payment of the rent of unemployed tenants to be a national and not a local charge, the conclusion come to was that this course will be followed. As regards the new method of treating the subject which the Government propose to institute by way of amendment to the bill so nearly wrecked on Wednesday night, grave doubts are expressed by Unionists and Liberals alike as to whether it will provide an acceptable solution of the difficulty. Indeed, there was general criticism of the proposal, and the Government, it was declared, are by no means out of the wood yet.

The Government are now prepared to spread the burden, instead of, as was originally proposed, putting it upon the shoulders of the landlords only; but it is claimed that safeguards must be introduced to protect the pockets of the community from individuals who might be willing to go on living rent free for an indefinite period. In Scotland the Parish Councils are the Poor Law authorities, and representatives of Scottish constituencies will insist that the Government should make it plain beyond a shadow of doubt that every penny of the new expenditure will be repaid to them out of national funds. What the total cost in the whole of Great Britain will be it is impossible to estimate. It may, however, run to millions of pounds per annum.

A change has been made in the order of business for next week, and the debate on the second reading of the bill will be resumed on Monday. The Government have issued a three-line “whip” to their supporters, enjoining them to be in attendance early in the sitting as “there may be important divisions.” It was predicted by an ex-minister last night that when the discussion is resumed the difficulties of the situation will be found to have increased rather than diminished, and the Government must expect to have to face further criticism. The opinion of the House generally – even among Labour-socialist members – is that the whole business has been badly muddled by Ministers.