At Wednesday's evening sitting Mr. Byles moved and Mr. Mackarness
seconded a Resolution censuring Lord Milner for- authorising the flogging of Chinese labourers. Mr. Chamber- lain in an eloquent speech indignantly repudiated the idea that Lord Milner had knowingly deceived the Government he was serving. The suggestion had not been his, and far too much had been made of a mistake frankly acknowledged. The Resolution was vindictive, and the amendment standing in the name of Mr. Churchill was cowardly, for it was framed to catch votes by pointing at Lord Milner without naming' him. Mr. Chamberlain declared that he had never known a greater man than Lord Milner, and appealed Co the House not to do anything that might discourage our representatives in distant parts of the globe. The Government amendment, moved by Mr. Churchill, which condemned the flogging of coolies, but invited the House, in the interests of peace and conciliation in South Africa. to refrain from passing censure on individuals, was carried by 355 votes to 135, or a majority of 220, after Mr. Byles's Resolution had been negatived without a division. Several Liberal and Labour Members voted id the minority., We have dealt at length with the episode else- where, and will only say here that, while the amendment Avoided the entering of a vote of censure on Lord Milner in the journals of the House, it was, in our opinion, by no means happily worded. It would have been far better either to have simply negatived Mr. Byles's Motion, or else to have moved the Previous Question.
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