4 JULY 1925, Page 10

On Monday Mr. MacDonald moved a vote of censure on

the Government for their failure to deal with unem- ployment 'He made a critical but remarkably unhelpful speech. The Prime Minister .pointed out that the recent increase in unemployment figures was almost entirely confined to the coal and the few " heavy " industries : also that emigration stopped ten years ago and had not nearly reached pre-War figures since. Two satisfactory points were the increase of employment on the land due to beet-sugar cultivation and that, in finance, we had the lowest Bank Rate of all Europe except the small ex-neutrals, Holland and Switzerland. Mr. Baldwin spoke strongly on the need for more science in industry and recorded the long tale of research work now going on with support from the State, including research into the low temperature carbonization of coal, and he promised an enquiry into the film industry. He asked the House to consider the question of subsidies in some form or another to the " heavy " industries, saying frankly that his own mind was not made up.• The motion was lost by a majority of 230 votes.

* * * *