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MR. OWEN PHILIPPS, M.P.,\…

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MR. OWEN PHILIPPS, M.P., AT NEYLAND. What Pembroke Dockyard Wants ? A FLOATING DOCK SUGGESTED. Mr. Owen Philipps, M.P., addressed a meet- ing of his constituents at Neyland at the Coun- cil Schools on Saturday evening, when the meeting was well attended. The chair was taken by the Rev. W. Powell, who was supported by the member, Col. Ivor Philipps, M.P.. and Mr. G. M. Voyle. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, sa.id that their member had done his work excellently. He knew of no member who had worked harder for his constituents, and they did not know all that they owed to him. Mr. Philipps had always been ready to take an in- terest in individuals when they appealed to him. He could testify that more than one in Neyland owed their positions to help given them by their member. Mr. G. M. Voyle read a letter of regret at inability to be present from Dr. Griffith. He then moved a resolution expressing unabated onfidence in the Government for carrying out the pledges they had made, and that the meet- ing expressed the hope that the Government would soon grapple with the question of the veto of the House of Lords, in order that the will of the people might become law. In the course of his remarks, he said that th'e House of Lords was ruled by one man, Mr. Balfour, and he considered it monstrous that popular mea- sures should be rejected at the will of one man. Proceeding, he alluded to Old Age Pensions, and said that if the Government did nothing else. they had done something to de- serve the support of ail the workers of the country, (tpplause). Referring to the Dock- yard, he said that the Conservative Government intended to reduce the number of employees to 500. Since they had a Liberal Government they had constantly had men entered, and the number of men employed in the Dockyard was now 2,lCO. He believed this was entirely because they had returned as member Mr. Owen Philipps, who had done his duty in a proper manner. (Applause). Mr. Oliver Garrett (chairman of the Neyland Urban District Council) seconded, and referred to the passing of the Children's Bill, as a thing which would greatly benefit the country. Mr. Owen Philipps, in rising to support the resolution, was well received. He referred to the death of the late Mr. Henry Allen, who for many years represented the Pembroke Boroughs in Parliament, and said that he regarded his death as a loss to the Principality. The death had also occured on the previous day of Col. Morgan. He was a Conservative, out ne thought all Welshmen would deeply deplore his death because he represented a type, of which every Welshman was proud. He was a man who devoted his life to the advancement of what, in his idea, was best calculated to help Wales. The majority ofhis country men might not agree with his politics, but they admired the man's character and his public work. The member then dealt at some length with the position of Pembroke Dockyard, and said that he would give the record of the Government during the three years they had been in office. During that time in the Government Dockyards tM number of men entered had been 8,126. The numbers discharged during the same per- iod for various reasons was 4,611, so that in three years under a Liberal Government, the number of men employed in the Royal Dock- yards had increased by 3.515. (Applause). He pointed out at the General Election that he believed that if Liberals were returned, they wo.uld find that the tendency of the Liberal Party was to increase the number of men who 'Wre directly employed by the Government, whilst the tendency of the Conservative Party was to give more and more work to the contrac- tors outside. In the first year of the Liberal Government they increased the pay of the Dockyardmen by iL60,000 per annum—(applause) -and this was not for one year, but went on from year to year. That was in the first year, and in 1907 the joiners and the plumbers got another shilling per week added to their wages. Another small matter that was put right was that the fine for late attendance was reduced from one hour to half an hour. He knew these were small matters, but these small matters some times annoyed people quite out of pro- portion to their size. This alteration did mean something to a good many men in the course of the year. Another matter which had been put right was that a uniform 48 hours week had been established, and this was a step in the right direction. In addition to finding regular employment for 3,515 more men in the Dock- yards, the Liberal Government had been able to relieve unemployment in the Dockyard dis- tricts by voting a sum of Z73,500 to find employ- ment for 2,100 additional men-during the win- ter months. (Hear, hear). It was true their share in Pembroke of this money was not a very large one, but he was very pleased to be able to say that there had been a very con- siderable number of men taken on under this grant in Pembroke Dockyard. The Liberal Government had also assisted other ship-build- ing centres by advancing the dates at which vgrioius contracts should be completed. This would mean that in other centres outside the Dockyard towns, about £ 200,000 would be ex- pended this winter, which otherwise would not be expended and it was bound to relieve the districts in other shipbuilding centres. He should like to point out, whilst on this sub- ject, that in other ship-building centres outside the Dockyards, there was at present very great distress owing to want of work. Therefore, when one was pressing upon the Government the desirability of giving still more work to the Dockyards at the present time, one was met with the reply that there was so much dis- tress in the shipbuilding centres on the Tyne, the Clyde, and elsewhere. That was a fact that one must bear in mind. If they considered it. they must admit that the condition of the Dockyard towns was satisfactory. Now as re- gards Pembroke Dockyard again. He was in tb" House of Commons when he heard a mem- ber of the late Government refer to their Welsh dockyard as "derelict." It might have been derelict if another Government had been in power, but it was not derelict to-day—(hear, hear)--and he felt confident that as long as they had a Liberal Government at Westminster, Pembroke Dockyard would never be derelict. (Applause). He had made it his first object at Westminster to use any little influence he pos- sessed in order to secure sufficient work to keep Pembroke Dockyardmen fully employed. The TJSUIL ppoke for itself. The Dockyard men were fully employed to-day and on this ques- tion he thought that they all of them owed a debt of gratitude for the loyal support he had received both in public and in private, from all the other Welsh members-Iapplause)-in sup- porting the claims of Pembroke Dockyard for a fair share of Government support. They had shown that Pembrokeshire men could build ships as fine or finer than any other Dockyard or private contractor, and not only that, but that they could build them as cheap-or cheap- er-as any other Dockyard. (Applause). What he had contended for was that they should have fair play in the future. (Hear, hear). Now they would never have fair play in the future until they had a graving dock in Pembroke Dock- yard. (Applause). He had put the question in this order. Firstly, he had considered it his duty to endeavour to secure work for all, se- condly. he had endeavoured to get the Govern- ment to provide ships for them to build-and if possible larger ships-as he believed it was in building large ships that they could show their superiority over other builders in the country- and thirdly that there should be a dry dock or floating dock at Pembroke Dock to enable ships to be finished there, and not have to be towed round to other Dockyards for comple- tion. This. as they knew, meant that the ex- pense of the ship was enormously added. If they had a graving dock there they could finsh everything without any additional expense to the building. (Applause). He asked the Gov- ernment the other day what would be the price of a floating dock and he received the reply that they. did not know. They did know. (Laughter and applause). He at once took steps to remedy that. He believed that a floating dock could be erected and brought there at considerably less cost than a graving dock could be made. The Government, as they knew, two years ag.) voted £ 100,000 to the Irish Dockyard to start a dry dock. At Pembroke he was told that £ 100.000 would be of no use, and would not provide a dock. He had consulted some of his" friends, who were contractors, and he found, he regretted to say, that this infor- mation wis correct, and it would probably take Z200,000 to enlarge the existing graving dock. and manner it big enough to take a dread nought in. But he found that a floating dock, which had very great advantages, could be rnad, for less than £ 200,000. He intended, so long as he w:s their member, to continue to press this matter upon the Government, and ————————————- J he should not be satisfied until they had either a dry dock or a floating dock at Pembroke. (Applause). He felt satisfied with a Welsh member—Mr. McKenna—as First Lord of the Admiralty, and a Welsh member—Mr. Lloyd George—(applause)—as Chancellor of the Ex- chequer, and with the undivided support of the Welsh members at Westminster the claims of Pembrokeshire and of Wales for fair treat- ment, would not be pleaded in vain. (Ap- plause). It was a satisfaction to know that these ships which had been coming to Pembroke Dock to be repaired nad, beside providing work for the Dockyard workmen, also been doing Dock to be repaired had. beside providing work for the Dockyard workmen, also been doing good to the towns of Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, and Xeyland. (Hear. hear). Proceeding, the speaker said that they had recently had a new industry started at Neyland. He had from thei nception of the industry taken the line that he believed there was ample trade, both for Milford and for Neyland, as centres of the trawling industry. On the East coast of Eng- land the water was comparatively shallow, and there was such competition in the trawling trade that these waters wero becoming gradually fished out, and reduced in value as fishing centres. Now the larger trawlers could trawl in deeper water, and he believed that the natural development would be for the centre of the trawling trade to move from Grimsby to Milford I and Neyland. Therefore, although they might have great difficulties to contend with, and he knew that there would be difficulties in i establishing the. industry in the town, he firmly believed that there was a bright future both for Milford and Neyland as centres of the trawling industry. (Applause). He knew that there were always difficulties when a new trade was started, and they must not expect every- thing at the start to appear coleur de rose. He knew something about the sea and everything connected with the sea, and he could tell them that anything to do with the floating property required a good deal of very careful manage- ment, and. it was only by careful management that it was possible to overcome the difficulties which would naturally follow the development of this very important industry in the town. After dealing with the Miners' Eight Hours Bill Mr. Philipps dealt, at some length with the Old Age Pensions Bill, and referred to some of the criticisms which had been made, notably against that clause of the Bill which debarred people from receiving pensions who had been in receipt of poor law relief during the past 12 months. He said that lie admitted that many of the cases were very hard, but it was satisfactory to know that this question was to be dealt with õv the Government in two or three years' time, and it would be righted in the future. The other objection was that people received pensions, who had savings of their own. That objection did not appeal to him. He had always thought that one of the greatest objections to the Poor Law was that a man or woman could not get relief until they had given up any little money they had saved. He could not see why, if a man had saved up Z100 bringing in £4 or £5 a year, he should not get an old age pension without having to give up the money. (Applause). The other objection they heard was "How is the money to be raised?" That was the business of their friend, Mr. Lloyd George and he did not think that he would have any difficulty, though he expected they would have some very hard work in the next session about i.t There were their friends the publicans. He asked if his audience were aware what the revenue would be from this source if they had the same scale in England as they had in New York. It would amount to 14 millions sterling extra per year. He didn't believe that Mr. Lloyd George would Tequire the liquor trade to pay fourteen millions, but he did think the liquor trade would have to pay three or four millions. (Ap- plause). Col. Ivor Philipps, D.S.O., also addressed the meeting and said that the Government had carried out their promises and also the- Old Age Pensions Bill, which they did not promise- so that their Acts were better than their pro- mises. They had only been in power for three short years, but in that time they had passed a mass of legislation benefiting all classes. They had talked about the measures for 2 years, and in three years they had put, or attempted to put them upon the statute book. Dealing with the Old Age Pensions Act, he said that he did not believe there was a member who did not regret that the provision of the bill referring to persons who had received parish relief was necessary. And he and others were determined that this should only be a temporary blot upon upon the Bill. But they could do something t ohelp these old people. Why should they not call upon the members of the Board of Guard- ians to pay these old people who would other- wise get their old age pensions, not less than 5s. a week. This was the figure the Govern- ment had fixed as to what the old people should Teceive. and they could go to the Guardians and ask them to see that they got it. He asked Conservatives especially to insist upon this. (Laughter). It could be done and it was being done in many parts of the country. Proceeding he said that'this Old Age Pensions Act would make a very considerable difference to the cost of the poor on the local rates, for old people would try to do without receiving relief in or- der to get their old age pensions. What had their opponents to offer them? Nothing but Tariff Reform. He could not see how Tariff Reform would benefit Pembrokeshire in any way. Mr. Austin Chamberlain had said that farmers would not benefit by the proposed tax on corn. Mr. Wyndham had also said that he believed that if a tax were put on corn the price of bread would fall. Such absolute non- sense, no man who had been called a minister of the Crown had ever dared to say. (Laughter and applause). A Voice: He ain't a nine months old child. (Great laughter). The resolution was carried amid acclamation. Mr. W. Evans then moved that the rest thanks of the meeting be given to their mem- ber, Mr. Owen Philipps, for the way he had re- presented them in the House of Commons, and said that he believed Mr. Owen Philipps had saved the Dockyard. Mr. W. Gwilliam seconded, and the resolu- tion was carried amid acclamation, and Mr. Owen Philipps briefly responded. Proceedings concluded with the usual votes of thanks to the Chairman.

DISLIKED HIS DINNER.

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