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9 MAY 1925

The Food Commission has issued three reports—one majority, two minority. Their principal recommendation is the establishment of a Food Council, which would maintain a continuing supervision over the staple food trades.

In the House of Commons Mr Rentoul moved second reading of the Representation of the People Act, 1918, Amendment Bill, to provide for the better registration of absent voters. The Home Secretary pointed out that the Act of 1918 said that “any person” could claim to be placed on the absent voters’ list if the registration officer was satisfied that there was a possibility that the claimant, by reason of the nature of his occupation, service, or employment, might be debarred from voting at a Parliamentary election. But he feared that the Bill would operate to circumscribe the law. He would, however, consider whether an Order should be made providing that a man, once on the absent voters’ list, remained on it without repeatedly claiming. The Bill was rejected by 79 to 76.

The Duke of Rutland died suddenly in London.

The death is announced of Lord De Ramsey.

Mr Austen Chamberlain, speaking at the annual dinner of the London Chamber of Commerce, referred to the world’s desire for peace.

Mr Neville Chamberlain, speaking at Birmingham on the Pensions Bill, said it was discreditable and dishonest to try to bamboozle the people with shadows, as the Socialist party was doing to-day.

Mr Lloyd George, speaking in London on the Budget proposals, said he thought Mr Churchill might have used his spare time for the relief of the undoubted pressure on business.

8 MAY 1925

The Agricultural Returns Bill, the Protection of Birds Bill, and the Importation of Animals Bill passed Committee in the House of Lords, and the British Empire Exhibition Guarantee Act and the Administration of Justice Act received the Royal Assent by Commission.

The House of Commons discussed on Report the Budget resolutions recomposing the McKenna Duties, and rejected Opposition amendments directed against those dealing with imported motor cars, musical instruments, clocks and watches, and cinematograph films. The resolutions in respect of Income-tax, Super Tax, Death Duties, and the duty on imported hops were also carried.

Mr H. M. Pollock, Minister of Finance, introduced his Budget in the Parliament of Northern Ireland. It left a balance of £1,723,000 for Imperial Services. The Minister stated that Northern Ireland would act on parallel lines to Great Britain in regard to schemes of social insurance.

Lord Leverhulme is dead.

The death is announced of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Doveton Sturdee, the victor of the Falkland Islands.

French successes against the Riffs in Morocco are announced.

A statement regarding the recent negotiations between the General Council of the Trades Union Congress and the representatives of the All-Russian Council of Trades Unions was published.

7 MAY 1925

In the House of Lords, the Lord Chancellor announced that the Government proposed, at a convenient time, to introduce legislation to amend the law relating to a husband’s responsibility for his wife’s wrongdoing.

In the House of Commons, a Socialist proposal to reduce the tea duty by one penny per pound was defeated by 306 votes to 151.

Lord Crewe, British Ambassador in Paris, speaking at a dinner given by the Association France–Grande Bretagne, testified from his own experience to the love of peace which animates France. Referring to the international situation, he said he had heard think that, at this hour, the horizon was beginning distinctly to clear.

Mr Austen Chamberlain was the chief guest at the annual dinner of the Institut Français in London. Sir William Ramsay received an honorary degree from the University of Bordeaux.

Mr Baldwin, at the anniversary dinner of the Artists’ General Benevolent Institution, emphasised that these were difficult times for artists, and said it seemed to him as an outsider that an entirely fictitious value had been worked up in the pictures of the day.

Sir Robert Hone, speaking at Reading, referred to the burden imposed upon industry by the proposed impost for social insurance.

A bulletin regarding the Princess Royal stated that Her Royal Highness’s condition gave rise to rather more anxiety during the latter part of Tuesday. After a transfusion of blood there has been definite improvement.

Lord Leverhulme’s condition was reported to be grave.

6 MAY 1925

The British Empire Exhibition Guarantee Bill, which increases the Government guarantee to £1,100,000, passed second reading in the House of Lords after discussion, in which Lord Buckmaster expressed doubt as to the advisability of guaranteeing so large a sum.

The financial resolution for the purposes of the Gold Standard Bill was agreed to in the House of Commons, and the Bill itself passed Committee stage and third reading. Discussion of the Rent Restriction Continuance Bill took place on Report and third reading, and the measure was advanced those stages.

Mr Baldwin, speaking at the Newspaper Society dinner in London, said there was never a time when the production of opinion was more energetic and its free flow more unimpeded, its effectiveness more certain than to-day.

Close by the country churchyard of Gray’s Elegy at Stoke Poges, Viscount Grey of Fallodon accepted for public ownership a large meadow which is the “lea” of the poem, and contains a stone monument to Gray’s memory. In accepting the gift, Viscount Grey said that the Elegy was a perfect work of literary art.

A meeting of members of Convocation at Oxford passed a resolution adopting Lord Milner for the Chancellorship of the University, and pledging support to his candidature. Lord Milner’s health continued to be good.

5 MAY 1925

The Socialist Opposition moved the rejection of the Gold Standard Bill in the House of Commons, on the ground that the Chancellor’s “undue precipitancy” might aggravate trade depression and unemployment. Mr Churchill’s reply to the debate was reassuring. There never had been any such step taken, he said, with more careful and laborious preparation. Every precaution which forethought could suggest had been taken. The only thing that would entail a serious and immediate rise in the Bank rate would be the rejection of the Bill, which would destroy our credit in America. The Opposition amendment was rejected, and the Bill passed second reading.

The British Empire Exhibition Guarantee Bill and the Advocates’ Fund (Widows’ Pensions) Order Confirmation Bill were read a first time in the House of Lords.

The Prime Minister, speaking at the Pilgrims’ dinner in London in honour of the United States Ambassador, said he was convinced that events were moving rapidly, both here and in America, towards a better, completer, and more rational understanding of each other’s aims and ideals, and each other’s standards.

The Liberals are to take the field against the Budget proposals. Mr Lloyd George and Sir John Simon will address a public meeting this week.

Sir Samuel Chapman, M.P., speaking at the annual meeting of the Wemyss Unionist Club, Edinburgh, criticised the proposed tax on silk and imported silk.

The Conference on the control of the international trade in arms, munitions, and implements of war was opened at Geneva.

Revolutionary methods have been condemned by the Bengal Provincial Council.

4 MAY 1925

The South African Parliamentary banquet to the Prince of Wales at Capetown was the occasion of memorable scenes. His Royal Highness, who received an ovation from representatives of all parties, spoke in Afrikaans and in English, and made a notable reference to the evolution of the Dominions within the British Commonwealth of Nations. Generals Hertzog and Botha welcomed him most cordially, and the Dutch members took him aside after dinner, talked freely with him, and sang his health in Afrikaans songs.

Prince Henry paid his first visit to Glasgow, and fulfilled a number of engagements. His Royal Highness unveiled a memorial tablet at the city’s newest hospital, and afterwards received the freedom of the city, and was made a Guild Brother of the Trades House. The Prince concluded his public programme by inspecting the Glasgow Battalion of the Boys’ Brigade, when considerably over 10,000 boys were present.

The Duke of York, Mr Baldwin, and Lord Birkenhead were among the speakers at the Royal Academy banquet in Burlington House.

Mr Neville Chamberlain told a gathering of the Junior Imperial League that he had already planned out the lines on which a solution can be found in regard to the slum problem.

Mr Walter Runciman, addressing the annual Conference of the National League of Young Liberals, commended Mr Churchill for not raiding the Sinking Fund, for returning to the gold standard, and easing the burden on the small income-tax payer. But he condemned it from the industrial and commercial points of view. It contained too many highly-coloured schemes meant to make it historic.

Mr J. H. Thomas at Derby admitted that there were good points in the Budget, but, applying the tests of whether it administered taxation fairly and impartially, and whether economy had been effected in expenditure on national affairs, he predicted that it would be an absolute failure.

Mr A. J. Coos, general secretary of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, charged the coalowners with misleading the public on the whole situation.

3 MAY 1925

It was reported that 200,000 might have been claiming “dole money” fraudulently.

The Princess Royal, the eldest of King George’s sisters, was reported to be suffering from a sudden and severe illness.