We do not feel that it will serve any useful
purpose to dwell at length upon the speeches made in Parliament during the passage of the Bill. Since we go to press on Friday at midday we cannot comment on the discussion in Committee, and we could only present a half-told tale. For record purposes, however, we may give the following summary of events in the House. Late in the evening of Friday week the announcement was made that the joint conference had broken down, and that it was the Government's intention to introduce legislation. On Monday in the House of Com- mons the Prime Minister gave formal notice that he would introduce a Minimum Wage Bill next day. On Tuesday Mr. Asquith introduced the Minimum Wage Bill in the House of Commons. On Wednesday the first-reading debate took place. In deference to a protest from Mr. Bonar Law, the proposed time-table was altered, and the second reading postponed till Thursday, with a corresponding change in the later stages. In Thursday morning's papers came the announcement that, on the one hand, the miners refused to accept the Bill unless specific minimum rates were in- cluded in it, and that, on the other, Mr. Balfour was to move the rejection of the Bill on its second reading on behalf of the Opposition.
