What the M.P.s were saying Bill to help hospital access

Press, 27 August 1979, Page 2

What the M.P.s were saying Bill to help hospital access

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CEDRIC MENTIPLAY

The Christchurch Hospital Amendment Bill, designed to improve access to the hospital by bridging the Avon River from Rolleston Avenue near Cashel Street, has been given a first reading in Parliament and is now ’ • fore the Local Bills Committee. Introducing the bill, Mr M. A. Connelly (Lab., Yaldhurst) said that the Christchurch Hospital Act had to be amended to provide better access to the hospital.

“To do this it is necessary to encroach on some land set aside in trust for recreation and pleasure gardens for patients,” he said. “The bill provides for the boundaries of the reserve land to be varied to accommodate the works.” Mr Connelly said that i earlier a new hospital building had encroached slightly lon the reserve land. This was also regularised by the I bill. The bridge and service ; roading was seen as, and I would be restricted to, a tra-Idesmen-type entrance. ■ “It will give the Fire Service speedier access to that I part of the hospital,” said Mr Connelly. "At least three I minutes will be saved. Rapid i access will be provided for I ambulances and emergency I services for seriously ill i patients. Access will also be provided for medical supI plies, kitchen supplies, maintenance services and for 'pedestrians.” Mr Connelly said that in I the redesign of the recreaItional and pleasure garden i area, part of ar existing

pathway would be eliminated and the area grassed. Some gardeners’ sheds and other structures on the reserve land would be removed. Less popular Mr T. K. Burke (Lab., West Coast) believes that t h e recently-negotiated “broad-banding” proposals relating to teachers’ salaries at rural schools will seriously affect education in country districts. “While the Government says that it accepted the proposal because it was put forward by the Educational Institute, teachers in country districts have advised me that the broad-banding scheme will lessen the desirability of going to a rural school,” said Mr Burke. (The new scale will drop the Bl teacher category. The chain of promotion will lead to a B2 in a city school, thus meaning that the lessexperienced teachers will go ti rural schools.). When Mr Burke asked a question, the Minister of State (Mr Thomson) said that the salaries of principals senior teachers in rural school' were considered thoroughly by the primary staffing working party, comprising representatives of the Educational Institute, the Education Boards’ Association and officers of the department. The result was recommendations on broad-banding, vtiich was approved by the Government.

Mr Burke; Is the Minister a- -are that broad-banding removes the incentive for able teachers to become principals of rural schools as part of the promotional ladder? Mr Thomson: I do not accept the member’s view as the total ji'.ture. Teachers have traditionally made a conscious choice to take up either a principal’s position in a small rural school or a senior position in a larger one. There is no reason why this should not continue. Redundancy The question of redundancy in the knitwear industry was brought up by Mrs Mary Batchelor (Labour, Avon). She asked the Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger) about the assertion tnat 250 members of the Knitwear Workers’ Union would be redundant, and that knitwear companies '’n on the verge of insolvency. “What priority is being given to redundancy pay for workers put out of their jobs?” she asked. Mr Bolger replied that there was no requirement on e; ployers to pay compensation to workers in the event of redundancy. “The whole question of redund including the equally, if not more, important Lsues of nlacemeiit and retiring. has been the subject of considerable discussion.”

He said that positive steps on the redundancy issue had been frustrated by the recent withdrawal of the Federation of Labour from the Industrial Relations Council. Mr A. G. Malcolm (National, Eden): Can the Minister confirm that most layoffs in the knitwear industry in Auckland have been caused ■ by rationalisations, and that the staff involved have all been promptly re- ! absorbed by the industry, which is thriving? Mr Bolger: It is my unders‘ n ing that, contrary to

the assertion in the question, there is not a pressure on jobs and that most of those dismissed have been reabsorbed. Mrs Batchelor: What is the position regarding redundancies? Mr Bolger: It is not my responsibility, and I do not intend to make it my responsibility. Positive policy Mr Connelly said that too many Government members talked about what was good for the South Island, rather than enunciating positive politicies which would act as an incentive. “It is no good talking about the large amount of land available for development,” said Mr Connelly. “At present we have an army of unemployed, and contractors’ equipment rusting. Why has the Government not got a policy to put the machinery to work and create employment. The Government has no interest in that. It believes in stagnation for the South Island.”

An energy-pricing policy for the South Island was urgently needed to give the South Island an equal chance. Only this could give the South Island producers the opportunity to compete on equal terms in the main markets of the north. Regional power Mr D. L. Kidd (Nat. Marlborough) told the House that the Marlborough Electric Power Board, one of seven power supply authorities in New Zealand, was now proceeding under approval from the Minister of Energy, with the development of a small hydro-electric scheme on the Branch River, a tributary of the Wairau River. “New legislation allows the electricity supply authorities to get into line with Government policy to use water,” said Mr Kidd. “Water can be used in a multitude of ways, including irrigation and soil’ conservation. Important facilities can often be established at small cost when the power is there.”