SLOW PROGRESS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20025, 5 September 1930, Page 16

SLOW PROGRESS.

UNEMPLOYMENT BILL. AMENDMENTS DEFEATED. (PMSS ASSOCIATION TILIGB11I.) WELLINGTON", September 4. In the House of Kepresentatives this evening, consideration of the Unemployment Bill, in Committee, was resumed. The exemptions clause was passed without further discussion. Mr I". Waite (E., Clutha) suggested that the age for compulsory registration should be 21, which was the age at which everyone had to register for electoral purposes. It would appear that administration expenses could be reduced in this manner. Mr M. J. Savage (Lab., Auckland West) contended it was important to find work for all boys over 16, and iu his opinion, the registration age should be 16. The Han. S. G. Smith said the Government had decided to fix the ago at 20 after very careful consideration. He pointed out that the Board would eudeavour to provide employment for everybody both over and under the registration age. Mr E. McKeen (Lab., Wellington South) moved that the age should be reduced to 16, but tho amendment was ruled out of order, on the ground that it would involve an appropriation to cover the cost of printing the necessary additional registration cards. Mr Savage said tbere seemed to be a general feeling in favour of reducing the age, and he therefore moved that consideration of the clause be postponed to give the Government an opportunity of reconsidering the registration age. Mr A. M. Samuel (E., Thames) said be did not proposo to vote for the amendment, which would further delay tho passage of the measure. He had been assured that the Minister could not accede to reducing the age. The amendment was rejected on a division, by 47 votes to 20, and the clauso was passed. Penalty for Non-Registration. The Minister accepted an amendment moved by Mr J. A. Young (E., Hamilton), fixing the penalty for failure to register at not exceeding £SO, instead of not exceeding £IOO. The amendment was adopted and the clause passed in this form. An amendment, moved by Mr P. Fraser (Lab., Wellington Central), seeking to increase the number of workers' representatives on tho Board from two to four, was ruled out of order, on tho ground that it involved an appropriation. Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier) pointed out that workers would have only" two representatives on a Board of eight, lie therefore moved that the number of members to be appointed on tho recommendation of the Minister be reduced from two to one, thereby increasing the workers' proportionate representation to two in seven. The amendment was rejected by 46 votes to 20. The clause was passed and progress was reported, the Jlouse rising at 10.30 p.m. till 10.30 a.m. to-morrow.