On Thursday, July 21st, the Trade Unions Bill passed through
the Report Stage in the Upper House. The Lord Chancellor, carrying out the undertaking that he gave in Committee, moved an amendment by which the mere refusal or ceasing to work could not be made an offence under any regulation made under the Emergency Powers Act ; and another by which the definition of " injury " in the clause defining intimidation was extended to a man's business, employment, and to actionable wrongs. It will be remembered that he accepted in Committee an amendment which deleted from the definition of a strike the words that made a concerted refusal to accept employment equivalent to a refusal to continue to work. These words were reinserted, and this harsh treatment of the amendment in Committee was defended on two grounds : first, that the Commons would never have accepted the amendment deleting the words and so it made no real difference, and secondly, on the plea put forward by Lord Inchcape that seamen, for example, being only engaged for the voyage, could at short notice paralyse trade by a concerted refusal to re-engage themselves. Lord Cave can hardly have liked to take a course which naturally offended the Opposition. The Bill was read a third time and passed on Monday. The Finance Bill was read a second time on Tuesday, and the third time on Wednesday. * * * *
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