All parties were fully represent-at the urgent summons of the various -Whips, inf the important debate in the "House of Commons to-day in the committee stage of the Coal Mines Bill.
The debate centred on a Liberal amendment to limit Part I of the Bill to marketing and to omit all questions relating to production, this meant cutting out the proposals for a restriction of output, Which the Government regarded a3 fan essential part of the Bill.
"The Liberal amendment was rejected by 280 "votes to 271. A umber of Liberals abstained from voting.
There was great excitement Goring the division on the amendment. As Mr. Lloyd George, the leader of the Liberal Party, and some of his followers emerged fiom the Conservative lobby they were loudly, but ironically cheered by Labour members to" the accompaniment of eries of "Good old Tory!
"The Government was saved by the abstention of a few Liberals, including the principal anti-Lloyd George Liberals.
'When it. was known that the Government had secured a majority, the whole Labour Party rose, cheered, waved papers and hand-Kerehiefs and' derided the Gonservatives, About 40 Liberals voted with Mr. Lloyd George in the minority.
'After the division Mr. A. J. Cook, Secretary. of the Miners Federation, speaking officially for ithe miners, said that had Mr. Lloyd George succeeded in defeating the Government, it would have meant complete' stoppage of work In the coal-folds of the country.
"The Miners Federation have now learned," he added, "that the Liberals! profession of sympathy with the miners is all. hypocrisy. Mr, Lloyd's George's action to-night will summon all the forces of the Miners' Federation and the Labour movement against., Liberalinin.
The majority in the division consisted of 270 Labour members four Liberals, four Independents and two Trish Nationalists, while the minority consisted of 228 Conservatives, 42 Liberals and one Independent—Reater,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.