Wages bill likely to be put today

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32541, 26 February 1971, Page 1

Wages bill likely to be put today

(from Our Own Reporter! WELLINGTON, February 25. The Government’s move to curb wage increases—th< Stabilisation of Remuneration Bill—is expected to be introduce! tomorrow morning soon after the disposal of the formal busines of Parliament. .

No indication has been given tu to whether the Opposition will attempt to make the bill’s introduction the occasion of a full, formal debate. The Government will pass it to the Labour and Mines Committee for consideration during the coming recess—but there is still some doubt about the final constitution of this committee. In Parliament today, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) asked the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) whether he intended to increase the size of this committee which at present consists of six Government and four Opposition members. “I am not impressed with the suggestion that the committee should be more,” the Prime Minister said. “It is not desirable to make the I rommittee a debating forum.” Mr Kirk pointed out that here were 12 members on he Statutes Revision Comnittee. The Prime Minister: J hall have to think about it BILL OUTLINED The bill to be introduced nto Parliament tomorrow was “outlined in detail, from to Z” to National Party :aucus members today, Sir <eith Holyoake told reportsrs after the caucus meeting. He said “two minor matters” in connection with wage restraint had been raised by raucus members. These would be considered by the Minister of Labour (Mr Marshall) as possible amendments before the bill was introduced.

Sir Keith Holyoake said the bill would be referred to the Labour and Mines Committee after its first reading (and a second reading pro forma).

He expected the committee) to sit next Tuesday and to i sit each day until it reported - the bill back to the House, i There would be “some: changes” to the personnel of < the committee for the study * of the bill. Sir Keith Holyoake said another National Party caucus meeting would bt held next Tuesday to consider other Government legislation which might be introduced to Parliament in the next fortnight NOT SEEN The Leader of the'Opposition (Mr Kirk) said his party had been unable to plan any detailed response to the legislation because the caucus had seen no copy of the bill or any rough outline of its contents other than what had appeared in the press. If the bill was so important that Parliament had to be convened early, Mr Kirk said he felt that it was not i asking too much that the ; Opposition should have seen i a copy of it, or perhaps

minutes from some of the negotiations- ' Speaking to reporters after the Opposition caucus meeting, he said it made “spurious piety” of Mr Marshall’s claim that Parliament had to be called to consider the bill, when half the members of the House did hot even know the details of what was to be introduced. The House is expected to adjourn tomorrow until 7.30 pm. on Tuesday, when the Address-in-Reply debate will The Prime Minister said , that on the afternoon of Wednesday, formal business would be taken—including a , large number of expected ; questions—and the Government “anticipated; but could not promise’’ that some fur- , ther Government bills would ( be introduced. ; The Address-ih-Reply det bate would continue for the : rest of next week and on into i the following week if necesi sary.