A SPIRITED INTERLUDE

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 89, 13 October 1915, Page 8

A SPIRITED INTERLUDE

SIR JOSEPH WARD SCOLDS MR. M«COMBS "HEROIC" STONEWALL. The stonewalling tactics of certain La.bour members which caused the Prime Minister to withdraw v the Factories Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives on Friday night, caused Sir Joseph Ward to indulge in some caustic comment last evening during the debate on the Appropriation Bill. The object of Mr. Massey's Bill was to make it legal for workers in a Southland condensed milk factory to work for more than a specified number of hours a week owing to an emergency caused by the late arrival of machinery. The attitude taken up by the members who caused the Bill "to be withdrawn was that the long hours would be detrimental to the health of the employees. Sir Joseph Ward, in replying on the Appropriation Bill, first directed his criticism against Mr. J. M'Combs, who, he said, had most unfairly suggested, that an improper thing had been done by he (Sir Joseph) and Mr. Massey in conspiring together to get the Factories Amendment Bill through. Throughout the whole time he (Sir Joseph) had been in Parliament — 29 years — he had on every occasion helped any BUI in the interests of the workers, and he thought the Prime Minister had done the same during his term of office. "He is endeavouring to depreciate us in the eyes of a certain class of the community," eaid the Minister of Finance, " and I am sorry that the honourable member is not above stating what is contrary to fact." The honourable members had made a very " heroic " effort to stonewall the Bill for nearly three hours as if they were going to die in the interests of the workers. It was the most spurious, unworthy effort on the part of members that he had heard ever since he had been in Parliament. The Bill, which applied to a factory in part of his (Sir .Joseph's) electorate, was only to enable a perishable article — milk — to be utilised on Saturday afternoon. The attitude taken up affected a number of people in his district to whom no injustice was being done, and it made him quite sad to see such a lack of judgment displayed. There was no proposal to work on Sundays in the Bill. The next time they attempted to block a Bill in the interests of his people he would advise . them to consult the workers themselves. .. The honourable member for Lyttelton had never taken a hand in placing the Labour legislation on the Statute Book. A voice : He wasn't here then I Sir Joseph Ward : " I think he wa» trying a long time before he did gethere." The hon. • gentlemen seemed to think they were the only representatives of workers there, but he (Sir Joseph) was a representative of the workers, had always been, and always would be. (Hear, hear.) "this sort of thing was done with the object of creating a wrong impression outside the House. He (Sir Joseph) objected to any section of the House jumping on him and then expecting him to keep his mouth shut. " I resent them interfering with my district when they know nothing of what they are doing." would advise the member for Lyttelton that if he were to succeed in Parliament, he mu6t display good judgment. It was most essential if he were to make any progress.