SHOPS AND OFFICES.
COUNTRY MEMBERS' OPPOSITION, j "STIRRING UP STRIFE." SIGNIFICANT SPEECHES. The Shops and Offices Bill has had by no means an easy passage through the House. It took five nights to get it thioHgh Committee, and the third reading debate took past of Friday last and several hours of yesterday. The debate was resumed by Mr. Graham, who pointed out that the employees of wholesale warehouses were already objecting to be included in the Bill, on the ground that they are at present under better conditions than they would be if they were included in the provisiona of the Bill. He hoped that clause would be amended before the measure became law. Mr. Duthie said that neither the House nor fche country had|expressed any desire for the amendments proposed to the existing law. He would be very glad to see- a Saturday half-holiday, bub it was impossible to conserve the interests of everybody, and, after all, it was the duty ot shop-keepera to consider the interests of the general public. The proposal with, regard to the referendum was "referendum gone mad." It was a desire to ehun giving a vote on a question which would offend a certain' number. The Government had no backbone ; every question was .shelved in oneiway or another, and always shirked, responsibility, either by means of a Royal Commission or by a proposal to refer the question to the referendum. As to the bad employer, the Government set the worst possible example in regard to working overtime and long hours. The great majority of employers in the wholesale trade were most liberal in the matter of holidays, and their relations with their employees had been of the most harmonious description, but that barmony would be destroyed if they were brought under the provisions of the Bill. The proposal was the result of departmental interference, and he hoped the Department would get a lesson from the way in which the Bill had been emasculated. He should, however, vote in favour of the Bill, as it 'contained some provisions which were required. Mr. Houston declared that this stirring up of strife by the Labour Department was causing a good deal of unrest in the colony. He objected to the Bill being made to apply to country districts. He believed that in the great majority of country districts the people were opposed to the principles contained in the Bill, and if it became law it would cause a considerable amount of dissatisfaction and the turning of country members against the present Government. It would create a feeling of unrest ,which it would be very difficult t6 allay. Mr. Lawry spoke strongly in support of a universal Saturday half-holiday, but urged that the proper thing for the House to do was to pass a law to that effect, and not shelve its responsibilities by referring the question to the referendum. He pointed out, however, that there are clauses in the Bill which are in direct conflict with the existing law, and it would merely provide food for lawyers. Mr. Symes, referring to the Saturday half-hohdvy proposals, said that legislation was not brought down in the interests of the labouring classes, but in the interests of agitators, of inspectors, and of the Labour Department, for the purpoe of creating billets, and in order to keep the country in a state of unrest. He did not believe any more labour legislation was wanted, awl if they gave it ai rest for a few years it would be a good thing for the colony. Mr. A. L. D. Fraser warned the workers in the four centres that if they listened to the clarion-throated agitators that we occasionally hear in politics and at street corners, they were simply tolling the bell that would bo their death knell, for the country and the respectable section of the towns would rise up, and the result must inevitably be that the clock of the Labour Party's prosperity would be put back, if not for all time, for many years. The paid agitators were the very worst enemies of the Labour Party. Mr. Millar joined issue with Mr. Symes when he said that it was time to give labour legislation a rest. It was high time that country legislation had a rest. They had hud quite enough of it* for some years. The colony had boen pledged for sonte seven millions of money not for the interests of the towns, but lor country, and had a single Labour member, he asked, ever opposed it? Were they to sit idly by and see their constituents taxed yea-r after year for 18,000 Crown tenants, while three pavts of fche population had no legisla^ tion passed in their interests? They had petitions from 30,000 people asking for this legislation, and they were told that I it was wrong by the representatives of 18,000 Grown tenants. If that sort of thing went on there would soon be a Town and a Country Party in the House, and if that did happen there would not be much legislation passed either for town or country. If the country members would not pass legislation which was required for the cities, the city members would not pass legislation for the country. The Premiei, replying to these and other remarks, said it was inconsistent on the part of members to oppose the referendum on the Saturday half-holiday when they were in favour of tie* referendum in regard to licenses. The country storekeepers, he went on t6 say, did not wish to sweat their assistants, and' were as eager for a half-holiday as -the people in the towns, and this legislation was necessary to prevent such people being poached upon by the few who were not so well disposed. Justifying the new proposals in the Bill, he expressed the opinion that with shorter hours the employers would get even better work from their employees. The Bill had been generally approved, and was in accordance with public opinion. He added that within three months of Saturday being made the- statutory half-holiday (if that should occur) the people would' conform to it, and would adapt themselves to the alteration, and he believed .they would be better satisfied than under the existing conditions. He believed' the time was coming when they would have a universal Saturday half-holiday. The third reading was carried on the voices. On the motion "That the Bill do pass," the Government Whips forced a division, and it was carried by 61 to 3.
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Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 97, 21 October 1904, Page 5
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1,246SHOPS AND OFFICES. Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 97, 21 October 1904, Page 5
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