GOVERNMENT AND LABOUR.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15016, 10 July 1914, Page 9

GOVERNMENT AND LABOUR.

ADDRESS BY MR H. D. ACLAND.

There was a _ood attendance at the mewtims of tho Christchurch women s branch of tho New Zealand Political Reform League, held last night and presided over by Mrs Kolleston. Alter the meeting had transacted business Mr 11. D. Acland gave an address 01 ''Tho Massey Government and Labour. Those who were iv the habit of reading tbo newspapers of all shades of public oniuion, Mr Acland said, would havo noticed that during tho past two years they had dinned into them week in and v7eek out the fact that a reactionary Government was in power, tie intended to describe soma ot the legislation passed by this reactionary and selfish party. Dealing first with what the Government had done for the Croftii servants—not only Civil servants, but all these porsons whoso services were paid for out of the public revenues ot the couutrv- Mr Acland referred to tho increases in tho r»av or salaries of. the members of the police force, of school teachers iv the lower grades, ot railway employees, and of tho Government Printing Office. In addition, he saidthe great bulk of the Civil Service had been nut under the control of Commissioners, removed from political control, and a scientific system of advancement had been introduced so that Civil servants knew pretty woll what their chalices of promotion were in the future. Cominar to legislation designed to assist the distressed, Mr Acland detailed tho amendments made by the present Government in tho Workers Compensation for Accidents Act —tho extension of tho provisions of the Act to seamen, tho option of takinc action under the Act in the Court of Arbitration or in the Magistrate's Court, and the allowance in the case of accident or disablement •of apprentices (compensation to be on the basis cf earnings no* less than £2). The Distress and Replevin Act had boon amended by providing that under a distress warrant tho debtor's bedding, tools of trade, and furniture could not be seized if the claim was for less than £00, the limitation previously beinf. £25. Reference ■was s>1«o made to the amendments of tho Widbws Pensions Act (exemption of personal earnings not exceed 'if -f: per annum), and to the amendments of the Old Ace Pensions Act (rodiHnsr tVpension ago for women from 65 to GO. | land ownod by pensioners to be assessed lat its value when pension granted, and tho arrangements made for reciprocntywith Australia). ...,«• The Advances to Workers Act, Mr Acland said, was brought into force in !906, but the father and author of it uas tho proseut Primb Minister. When flu* the j Government brought down their Bill ; t was found to contain a clause .dantical with a clause in Mr Massey's Bi'.l, and a clause containing fhe same error in drafting that Mr 'Msissey'3 Bill contained. The present Government during tho three years it j had been in offico had erected, or lot j tenders for the erection of SCO workers' dwellings, whilst during tho previous six years the number erected was 2W>. They could tee for themselves the difference between talking 'about thiugs' and carrying them into effect. Tho Government hid also extended tho system tr country districts —a very desirable thing in Ne-v Zealand,, where both farmors and workers found it difficult to obtain suitable dwellings. Referring to factory legislation, Mr Acland explained the amendments providing for tho suitable heating of shops and factories, and for the provision of sanitary accommodation for women employees in shops when not actually engaged at work. As to people in tho country, the Government had provided for opening up the land and for giving access to it. The conditions applying to shearers' accommodation had been extended to timber workers- Country people had. been also assisted by the extonsion of tho telephone system. Possibly one of tho best measures passed, although there had been a considerable amount df .discussion about it, was the Labour Disputes Act of last session. To his (Mr Acland's) mind it was an exceedingly democratic Act, in that it gai'e to the ordinary individual the •right of recording his vote when a strike was on, and when feeling in tho community was running (high. No one ktew how the votor voted, which enabled public opinion to bo recorded in the same way as it wus recorded at the ballot box. Some of the labour leaders had stated that it was a very liberal Act, and had conferred a great benefit on the workers. In his (the speaker's) opinion, if the Act had been in force during the past five years somo of the strikes that had taken place would never have occurred. Concluding, Mr Acland said that he had described some of tho Acts passed by tho Massey Government during tho past two years, and he asked, in the event of the presont Government Doing nut out of ofß' , «. would the Acts passed by tho so-cnMM reactionary Government be immediately repealed by any nroereynves that took their place? (Aprtlnnse.) - A■ v«+<» of thanks vras unanimously accorded Mr At'lnid.