Mr George Renwick: 47. asked the Prime Minister whether ii is intended to place the orders for the hulls, armament and machinery for two battleships before the Adjournment: and whether, considering the fact that the actual commencement of building cannot be proceeded with for some months after the orders have been placed, such orders might be given at an early date, so as to provide work during the coming...
Mr George Renwick: Will the right hon. Gentleman further consider that the men engaged in shipbuilding and engineering would be better employed upon this work than upon relief works?
Mr George Renwick: We are very anxious that these men should not be dispersed.
Mr George Renwick: I would suggest that before the word "buildings," the word "temporary" be inserted. It was never intended that permanent buildings should be erected on the allotments. If the word "buildings" stands without the qualifying word "temporary" there will be an inducement to allotment holders to put up permanent buildings.
Mr George Renwick: I think the word "temporary" ought to be inserted in the Clause. Surely you are not going to have all buildings included.
Mr George Renwick: I appeal to the right hon. Gentleman to include not only statutory companies but other companies, such as shipbuilding companies or dock companies and dry dock companies. Suppose I am the owner of a shipbuilding yard, with a berth 400 ft. long, and I get an offer of a ship 500 ft. long, and I desire to extend my works and to extend the yard. That is a serious position. The shipbuilding...
Mr George Renwick: I cannot allow this Bill to have its Second Reading without saying a word in regard to it. Never in all my experience have I heard a Bill damned with so much faint praise as this Bill. We were told by the right hon. Member for Platting (Mr. Clynes) that this was the sixth or seventh Bill that has been introduced dealing with unemployment. It will not be long before there is a strong demand...
Mr George Renwick: I can point out where there may be some work. I now make this statement, and let hon. Members opposite deny it if they can, that the rules of the trade union are very largely responsible—
Mr George Renwick: Hon. Members opposite have ranged over a rather wide field. Last week 60 men received £4 4s. 4d. each for 27 hours' work, 16 hours normal and seven hours' overtime.
Mr George Renwick: I bow to your ruling, and I will reserve my remarks. I know that what I have to say will be unpalatable to hon. Members opposite. On some other occasion I shall be able to give the figures.
Mr George Renwick: There are OIK; or two points in the speech of the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Hartshorn) to which I should like to refer. He speaks about South Walcs. I know a little about South Wales, but I know more about Northumberland and Durham, and I would like to remind the hon. Member that South Wales does not represent the whole of the coalfields of this country. He said that since the War there had...
Mr George Renwick: That is not a system of tyranny such as that to which the hon. Member for Ogmore referred. No doubt, in times like this, the coalowner, like other manufacturers, does his best to economise, partly by reducing wages, but I know absolutely that there is no system of tyranny on the part of the coalowners of my district, and I am sorry such a statement should have been made in this Committee. It...
Mr George Renwick: I think hon. and right hon. Gentlemen opposite are not aware that this is a Bill that has been carefully considered by the Chamber of Shipping, representing the ship-owning interests, by practically all the port and harbour authorities, and by ail the oil interests, the dealers in oil and the storers and carriers of oil. The hon. Member for East Edinburgh (Mr. Hoģģe) seems to think we ought...
Mr George Renwick: Read Clause 4.
Mr George Renwick: "In the agreement"—not in agreement.
Mr George Renwick: 28. asked the Prime Minister whether, with a view of allaying the widespread dissatisfaction at present existing in the manufacturing and mining districts of the country owing to the high price and low quality of the beer obtainable in licensed houses and working men's clubs, he will appoint a Committee to inquire into the causes of the high price and low quality and to endeavour to suggest a...
Mr George Renwick: Would the right hon. Gentleman send down a Government analyst to verify or refute the serious statements in the latter part of the question?
Mr George Renwick: I have listened with very great pleasure to the speech just delivered. I wish—and I am sure hon. Members will re-echo my wish—that we had more such temperate speeches from the other side of the Committee. In the first place, before I enter upon the few remarks I desire to make in regard to the Budget, I desire to compliment the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon at last showing us some...
Mr George Renwick: I am not sure whether, according to the ruling you, Sir, have given, we should be in order in discussing the Amendment, because I do not think, by the terms of the Resolution, we can, under the Bill, extend the scope. It is sufficient to me to make a few remarks with regard to what is provided under the Bill. I would like to point out to hon. Members representing the Labour party that we...
Mr George Renwick: Hear, hear.
