HASTY LEGISLATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 683, 7 December 1909, Page 9

HASTY LEGISLATION.

A' PROTEST. EMPLOYERS' INTERESTS, . A protest agamst law-making in a hurry has boon inado ou behalf of the Now Zealand Employers'. Federation, tlto following letter, dated' December 1, haying been .sent to tho Primo Minister (Sir, Joseph Ward) by Mr. W- Pryor, secretary of tho federation:—

n 1 r VTi "'J 1 ■nstruoted by ipy Parliamentary Committee .to convey: to yon tho, committee's strong objection to tho manner m wluch legislation; ailecting. onlployers'- interests is b'oing put thTQiigh l?arlmmont this session. Tho timo allowed between receipt of Bills ami tho dates ijpon which representations aro to bo mado is not 1 sufficient to permit full consideration to be pken .bytho9P interested Jn different. parts of ■ the Dominion. :... "Complaint is ffpecially made regarding' the Shipping and Seamen, Shops anil Offices, Factories, Coal Mines,: and Mining Amendment Bills. With regard to tho Shipping and Soi.men -Bill,.'.my ecmiriitteQ-submits that-tho coinplicated and far-reaching effects of tho provisions warrant the claim that tho Bill sliould hiiva been mrOnlaW ono sossion and considered by Parliament tho following. session. Several clauses -df 'great: importance were passed hi committee yesterday evening, tho full im-port-of "Which .was not realised by members piving td instt/fidout lime for consideration. ; "Tho Shops and Offices Bill and tho Factories Bill: wo received at this offico on /iiesday ovoning last, and notification was given i on Saturday-that ovidonco thereon ivould be taken by. tno Labour 'Bills Committee to-day (Wednesday). Such short notico renders it absolutely impossible for.my committee to ascertain. tho vioTfsVpf -omployora and arrange for i witnesses ■ to come to. Wellington to give evidence. Owing to the courtesy of the chairman of . tho Labour Bills .Committee, an extension of.time to'; Wednesday next has been scccurod, but oven that length of time, it .is submittted, la not sufficient.

"Tho Coal Mines and Mining Bills were received on Saturday. ;last, and 'on Monday, verbal notico was given by the chairman of tho Mines - Comlhittee: : the • dommitteo .was" meeting to-dny. (Wednesday) to:"'consider the. ,measure. Whon it is realised that copies of the Bills had to ' be " sent' : to , ; mine-owners throughout the Dominion, it must bb admitted thatyat .least a fortnight Should be allowed to .eldpsa'before.'.eniployers.nro!'asked to submit their YWW3 'to tho committco-or to tho Government, r . ..;' . ,',' My committee'regrets exceedingly. having:to complain .iii. this .-'way,' especially, in,: view;'of many - courtesies extended to it by you and other members of tho Government, but the matter; complainod ;i of is of such' serious . im ; nortarico to those 'interested-that my .committeo feels it-wottld not .bo';doirig its; duty ..if it failod to oonvey. ;ta you tho . opinion of ,• em"ployers generally that ho desire Jo curtail tho session of Parliament to •' certain limits, should be allowed-, to 'prevent ample time being, provided whereby those immediately "affected and -members- of Parliament may give full .consideration to'-proposed! legislation;';;' >! , :"I"'am'. therefore, instructed .to request.that I .further - reason for wilt bo' obviated bv tha 'deadipß th'it" sooner ■ thanallow legislation to bo rushed through in the manner complninod of it will .postpone it for ■'