New-York tribune., 1908-08-03
PARL[AMENTS LABORS
Only Tsoo Important Measures
Passed-4 Heavy Programme.

London. Aug 2-Of twelve important measures
foreshadowed in the Kings speech at the opening
of Parliament in January only two had been
passed up to the adjournment on Saturday for the
summer vacation. These the Irish universities
bill and the old pension bill. neither of when
opposed in principle by the Opposition al
though the House Of Lords amended some clauses
Of the pension bill. only, however. to have them
rejected by the House OF Commons and accept
the reflections when the bill returned to the
Lords in its original form
The old age pension bill will become operative on
January l. 1909 that only three months will
he chargeable TO the present financial year, and
no great increase in the budget will be necessary
For the first full year, however, the ministers es-
tinate that 100000 will have to he found, end
other experts say that this is 100000 short OF
what will be required The House of Lords at
tempted to limit the operation of the bill that
could be changed If it did not work satisfactorily
after trial of a few years but the government,
backed by the laborites. insisted that it should
be passed as framed.
4 VICTORY FOR Mr. BIRRELL
There was no opposition the Irish Universities
bill and Mr.. BirreIl Chief Secretary for ireland.
whose measure IT was. is receiving the credit of
having solved a question which bafied such states
men as Mr.. Gladstone Lord Salisbury and Mr..
Balfour.
There were many minor bills passed. and in all
the part of the session has been fruitful but
the subjects over which contentious expected to
arise have been postponed until the autumn sit
ting These include the licensing bill which
reached the COMMITTEES stage and wss strenuouslS
opposed in the House of Commons. and unless II is
radically amended it will be thrown by the
House Of Lords on the ground that the results of
recent byelectons show that the people are op-
posed 70 II. the upper house did with the Scot
tsb small holdings land values bills earlier in the
year.
Next in importance the education bill. on
which however an effort being made to req ch
compromise. all the parties apparently being de-
sirous of ending the long drawn out hght over the
rneasure
The government also got we'll forward with the
measure establishing eight hours legal day in
the coal mines. which. like the licensing bill has
been one Of III. Cnioni.t battle cries IN the bE-
elections the assumption that q decrease In the
hours Of labor would increas. the price Of coal
The of London bill likewise reached the COM
rnittee stage in the House Of Commons The bill
proposes to establish new port authority in Lon
don which vil control river accommodations to
shipping that if It IS necessary. new docks
be constructed, Under the bill the purchase of
docks will not be compulsory. arrangements al
ready having been made to this effect with the
steamship companies,
THE BILL. TO PROTECT CHILDREN.
The childrens bill which aims the abolish
nent of Juvenile smoking, the diecontnusnce Of
the practice of sending children under sixteen years
OF age 10 jail the establishment of chdren's courts
improving the supervision of chdre1's homes,
is another measure which will take up time
the fail session making problematical whether
John Burns's house and town planning bill will be
reached. Mr. Burns's idea is to abolish the slums
by the construction of streets and the regulation
of roads. to improve the condition Of the peo-
pIe hv raising the character of the house and home.
The bill promised in the speech from the throne
n amend the Irish land purchase act has not yet
seen the light Of day if time is found 1t pos
siby may VI before the end of the year II
will follow the lines of the report of the Dudley
Commission. As the House Of Commons does not
meet until October IL and The licensing bill will
take full month in discussion. there will be little
time before Christmas TO dispose Of the big pro
gTamme.