LABOUR MINISTER

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 120, 21 May 1920, Page 10

LABOUR MINISTER

APPOINTMENT CRITICISED,

The appointment of the Hon. Sir William Herrisa as Minister of Lsbour doss not mast wife the approvai of Labour; Mr. E. Kennedy, President of tho Trades and Labour Council, in s atatement to a Post reporter, said ; "Mr. Majssey has. stated that he has made the aßDointmnnt bocause of tho experience eained by Mr. Herries as' Acting-Minister of Laboiir. Well, Mr. Herries did nothing, and apparently, that is his only recommendation. While Acting-Minister Mr. Horries showed no particular ability, and lie has certainly never given any indication that lig is the man. t.o come forward with some bis constructive policy which will cope with the great industrial problems confrnntinjr N's'.v Zealand today. Once whan he became party to the Government's decision to i;rant an additional bonus of 6a tn tho drivers when they threatened to Etvikn against an award of tho Arbitration Court, ne indicated his lack of confidence in the Court. On other occasions the Governmesit has shown that it has no more confidence in the . Court, than the workers have, but we do not think that Sir "William Herries will come forward with a substitute for the present'obsolete industrial legislation. I don't think ha will grapple with the question as it should be grappled with. He has given no evidence as yet of bis ability- to do so. "If the Government was in earnest about settling the industrial unrest wfyich is'permeating the country it would have appointed somebody else as Minister for Laoour. At no time since he became a member of Parliament has Mr. Herries been a member of the Labour Bills Committee, and therefore he can have no idea of tho retirements of the workers in regard to the industrial legislation of the Oominioii. On the other hand, the Eon. .Mr. G. J. Anderson, recently appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, has been Chairman of the Labour Bills Committp' for.the last k-is years at least, and in that [position he appeared to see the needoof. f bettering the industrial laws of the country. Personally, I believe that he would have been far better fitted for the post of Minister of Labour 'than- Sir William Her-

'Acs. In overlooking Mr. Anderson Mr. Massey once again .gave evidence that it was not part of his policy to overhaul the industrial legislation.

"Tn criticising the appointment of Sir William Herries, I believe I am speaking for the Labour movement generally. None of the unions will take the appointment seriously, and any Eope3 of improvements so long sought have been dashed to the ground." ' -