In the Commons on Wednesday Mr. Austen Chamberlain moved a
vote of censure on Mr. McKenna for refusing public protection to the labourers brought to Purfleet from Newport, whose importation by their employers he had described as " provocative," and argued that the Home Secretary's claim to
exert adiscritninating or dispensing power was unconstitutional and illegal. Mr. McKenna based his defence on the results of his action, and offered no justification of his novel doctrine of law and order. He declared that although the strike had affected all trades, including that in food, complete security had been given for the food supply without disturbance from the first day of the strike. Indeed, he doubted whether any Home Secretary had ever given so much protection to labour. The Prime Minister protested against the doctrine that the Home Secretary and the Central Government were responsible for the maintenance of order all over the country. Mr. Boner Law, summing up for the Opposition, complained not so much of what the Government had done as of what they bad said. Mr. Austen Chamberlain's motion was rejected by 337 to 260, the Government majority thus falling to 77, a result fully justifying the action of the Opposition, According to the Westminster Gazette nu fewer than 16 Liberal Members were absent unpaired.
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