The discussion of the Insurance Bill in Committee was resumed
in the House of Commons on Monday. The chief amendment considered was that of Mr. Bathurst for reducing the contributions to be paid by agricultural labourers and their employers on the ground that they could afford less than those occupied in urban industries. The Chancellor of the Exchequer refused to accept the amendment, but in his reply gave an indication of a very important concession which be is prepared to make, and which will affect domestic servants, sailors, nurses, and clerks, as well as agricultural labourers. He stated that in cases where the contract of service covered the case of temporary sickness the Government were pre- pared to exclude such sickness entirely from the benefit, with a corresponding reduction of about 2d. in the amount of the total contribution. Further amendments were proposed with a view to exempting casual labourers and persons under the age of 16 from the compulsory contributions proposed in the Bill. But these were not accepted.
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