30 NOVEMBER 1929, Page 2

The debate was continued on Monday, when Mr. Oliver Stanley,

in a speech which deserved the attention it received, argued that the Government had missed a great opportunity of devising a constructive scheme for dealing with those who ceased to be qualified for benefits. In his opinion the tests for those " genuinely seeking work " merely prescribed a perfunctory ritual. The onus of proof being divided was not properly borne by either party. Mr. Devlin, the well-known Irish Nationalist who sits for Fermanagh, and Tyrone, made a most welcome plea for a non-Party conference. Mr. Tom Shaw, the Secretary for War, made the irrelevant comment that the cost of Social Services was far less than the huge amount of money paid to investors in Government loans. He declared that £100,000,000 a year was paid to people who had not " the slightest right to it," since in the• War money was borrowed at inflated rates and the Government had now to pay interest on deflated Money'. " That is a fact has to be faCed before this country can be put on itS fett again,"