LABOUR'S NEEDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9654, 10 July 1919, Page 5

LABOUR'S NEEDS

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER

WELLINGTON, July 9.

Representatives of the Federation of Labour and the New Zealand Labour Party placed a number of. requests before ' Ministers of the Crown to-night. The Ministers present were Sir James Alien, the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, and the Hon. W. H. Herres. Sir James Allen, in replying, said many of the matters mentioned ■ would require' legislation. This applied^ to Widows' pensions, the amount of which was determined by law. .. His personal opinion was that the widow's pension, as provided by law, was not what it might be. He had no doubt that the .Government would give consideration to what had been said on the subject. Ho agreed that the Government ought to deal with mentally: deficient, children, but he did not agree, that nothing had been done in the past. As to the request that the Government should do more in connection with the enrolment of electors. Sir James said that considerable efforts had been made to induce people to enrol, but certain electors apparently did not value the elector's vote. He thought a man had individual responsibility to get_ on the roll. The extension of municipal trading powers was a matter for the consideration of the Government. _ He would bring the matter before Cabinet. The Hon. Mr Herries, referring to the- question of reduction of the hours of work in shops, said an amendment of the Shops and Offices Act, the Factories Act, and the Arbitration Act had been on the stocks for two or three years, but recently there had not been time for domestic legislation.

Replying to the demand for_t3ie release of conscientious objectors. Sir, James Allen said the law tied the hands of the Minister of Defence, and alter some" years' experience •he was not sure that members of Parliament had not been right in tying the hands of the Minister. The-question had been considered by the Government several times already, but it had not yet been decided. The matter would be up for consideration again at an early date.