RECENT GENERAL WAGE ORDER

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27425, 11 August 1954, Page 12

RECENT GENERAL WAGE ORDER

Decision “Swept Away By Government”

MR MATHISON FORECASTS STRIKES (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 10. It was only a matter of time before workers would have to resort to direct action instead of arbitration, said Mr J. Mathison (Opposition, f Avon), when he spoke in the Budget 2 debate in the House of this evening. * ' Discussing the Court of Arbitration 1 and the cost of living, he said:— 1 “How often had the Prime Minister 1 and Minister of Labour told the worker i of the benefits of legal machinery < and arbitration instead of direct j action—and then the cost of living has been interfered with by the Government • “I don’t know of any Court in the < land whose decisions are so swept ; away by the Government It is only i a matter of time when workers will have to resort to direct action instead i of following a course of arbitration < which we have always advocated.” I Mr E. H. Halstead (Government Tamaki): Is ‘that a threat? Mr Mathison: I’m not suggesting that it is a threat if the honourable member has any brains. I ask any honourable member, would he not continue to lose faith in a situation I have just described? If you drive men to do something you must take . the responsibility, and the responsibility is on the Government. Mr Mathison said that if Labour were returned to power it would take immediate steps to break up the monopolies and restrictive trade practices that had grown up during the tenr. of the National Government. Mr Halstead: They developed under the Labour Government. Mr Mathison denied that such conditions existed under Labour, and went on to say that the most significant part of the Budget dealt with the proposal to go on to overseas markets for loans. He considered a responsible body should be first set up to examine the country’s economic situation in relation to the Government’s borrowing programme before steps were taken to seek such loans. Labour, if returned to power, would, he said. maintain the country's rate of progress without adding to the Public Debt. RAILWAY SERVICE TO 'LYTTELTON MR CARR SUGGESTS USE OF RAIL-CARS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 10. In a question directed to the Minister of Railways (Mr W. S. Goosman) in the House of Representatives today, Mr C. L Carr (Opposition, Timaru) asked whether the Minister would consider favourably the provision on the Lyttelton-Christchurch railway line of a sufficient number of 02seater Units similar to those used on Dunedin suburban lines. Mr Carr, who earlier asked for a return of the number of multiple electric units standing idle in the Wellington railway yards, also asked for sufficient multiple units on the Christ-church-Lyttelton run.

PARLIAMENTARY DAY

fFrom. Our Parliamentary Reporter) ! WELLINGTON, August 10. The Budget debate continued in the i House of Representatives today, with , the Opposition members who took part keeping to the stereotyped pattern of accusations against the Government of increasing the cost of living. A departure from the general discussion was made by the Minister of Defence (Mr T. L Macdonald), who discussed the South-east Asia situation. When the McKenzie Trusts Bill was reported back from a select committee today, members from both sides of the Houie praised the benefactions of Sir John McKenzie, and said that the trust conferred benefits that would not otherwise be available. The House adjourned at 10.30 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. tomorrow, when Ministerial replies to questions will be discussed before the Budget debate is resumed. It is expected that the Prime Minister (Mr Holland), as Minister of Finance, ’will reply and end the debate