Dr. Macnamara, the Ilrmister of Labour, on Monday moved the
second reading of the Unemployed Workers' Dependents Bill, under which workmen would contribute an additional twopence a week, employers twopence and the State threepence, for the next six months. Out of the £5,500,000 thus raised, additional grants would be made to unemployed persons who were married ; 5s. weekly would be paid for the wife and Is. for each child, from November 19th. Dr. Macnamara predicted that a million and a- half persons would be out of work throughout the winter. The Bill would, he said, apply to Ireland. Mr. Clynes, on behalf of the Labour Party, objected to a proposal imposing " a further tax upon a section of the workers whilst excepting from direct contribution other and wealthier classes of the community." The grant would, he said, be pitifully small. Mr. G. H. Roberts, his old Labour colleague, reminded Mr. Clynes that it was wrong to delude people with the idea that the Government had some inexhaustible reservoir of wealth at their disposal. A section of the Labour Party had, he said, helped to create unemploy- ment. Mr. Austin Hopkinson pointed out, with reason, that the only remedy for unemployment was " to create an effective demand for the products of labour, and to secure that there must be a break in the wages rate." 31r. Clynes was beaten by 226 votes to 70, and the Bill was read a second time.
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