London, Feb. 1.
Replying to Mr. A. Creech Jones, Labour member for Yorkshire, Shipley division, in the House of Commons last night, Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald. Secretary. of State for the Colonies, stated that the rise in the cost of living in Singapore, since the outbreak of the war, had provided a genuine economic basis for recent claims on behalf of labourers, There was reason to suspect that subversive elements, unfriendly to this country, were unscrupulously attempting to exploit this position, continued Mr, MacDonald.
An public authorities and most other employers had awarded a cost of living allowance from November 1 of last year.
In some cases. Mr. MacDonald declared, employers refused 10 negotiate oh demands they considered extravagant, and in one or two disputes, workmen were dismissed.
Such a course, Mr. MacDonald said, was strongly disapproved by the Government.
Trade Union legislation on approved lines, and legislation to provide machinery for the settlement, of industrial disputes, was now in process of enactment by the Straits Settlements Legislature, Mr. Mac-Donald concluded.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.