20 JUNE 1908, Page 2

As to the question where the seven and a half

millions was to crime frdnl, Mr. Lloyd George could only express his wonder that anybody could imagine any sane body of Britisher. mideitaking a leek of this "kind without knowing clearly where they *eve going. " I assure the Hbuse that we do know, even when we are making this provision for the first time." Li it poidible, then, that the Government have, after all, dis. ctobered Fortunatus's purse ? If they have, we think they

might be a little less reticent about the gotld Mits. As to the wastrel and loafer class, Mr. Lloyd George declared that be

did not attach any importance to the mere wording of the clause, and if any hon. Member could suggest a better form

of words, ot if he thofight the net was a little too Side; the Government were perfectly willing to consider any form of alternative words. At any rate, it was very desirable that the test should be as automatic as possible, and therefore he would propose an amendment which would exclude from the operation of this subsection all persons who had been members of Benefit Societies, Friendly Societies, Trade-Unions, and Societies of that kind for ten years before they attained the age of sixty. That at once excluded from the possibility of inquisitorial

examination as to their past something like twelve millions of the workmen of this country. When asked by a Labour

Member what about women, the Chancellor replied that that was a difficulty, but a rapidly diminishing difficulty.