EXTRA EDITION.
PARLIAMENT TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MASTERS AND APPRENTICES BILL.
The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Education Committee reported that it had considered the Victoria Coll6ge Amendment Bill, and recommended that the Bill be allowed to proceed as printed. The committal of tho Bill was made »n order of the day for to-morrow. In moving the third reading of the Masters and Apprentices Bill, Hon. H. D. Bell said that the Labour Bills Committee had altered the Bill in an important manner by adding clauses providing for the apprenticeship of New Zealand-born > farm boys. The Bill therefore provides now for both immigrant and native-born boys. The .Committee deserved the thanks of the GoV' eminent and the country for this valuable amendment. He hoped that the Bill would be read a third time. The Hon. J. BaTr eaid that the Bill was now a good deal different from that which they had had before them at tho time of the second reading. Comtbating the criticism of the Hon. G. Jones that the Bill contained no provi* sion for a minimum wag©, he said ho would have strenuously opposed any such proposal. He had. never been in favour of tlie fixing of a minimum wage by legislation. The indentures signed by the boys in England before they left for the Dominion) provided for a minimum Ayage of 7s 6d i a week with board, lodging, and clothing. In other industries the first year wages were as low as 5s in some cases, and in others they went as high as 9s: but in none of these industries was board and lodging provided. A set standard of wages to cover all industries was impossible. One of the grievances he had against the Arbitration Court was that it had a uniform apprentice clause for all industries. This would not work. Mr. Barr then went on to deal with arguments adduced against the Bill by those who seemed to make their living as progressional prevaricators — outsido the Council. (Laugh* ter.) (Proceeding.)
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1914, Page 8
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340EXTRA EDITION. Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1914, Page 8
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