On Thursday, July 29th, the Mining Industry Bill passed its
second reading in the Upper House. Lord Cecil was in charge, and the motion to reject the Bill received only seventeen votes. Lord Gainford was the principal opponent, objecting to it on the grounds that it violated both the Conservative principle of safeguarding property and the Liberal principles of freedom of the individual and of contract. He claimed for the owners all the conciliatory spirit that had yet been shown, and declared that they would gladly negotiate upon questions of hours and wages, but that, so far, their overtures had been rejected. He did not disguise his dislike of the interference in the industry which the Royal Commissioners proposed. Lord Cecil, whose sympathy with individual freedom is well known, said much as we did last week, that things had come to a pass when the Government was " absolutely bound in honour and policy " to carry through legislation based on the recommendations of the Report. The Bill was read a third time on Tuesday.
Previous page
