PREMIER'S TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 129, 3 June 1922, Page 9

PREMIER'S TOUR

FARMERS AND ARBITRATION

COURT

EXEMPTION FROM AWARDS

URGED.

(BT TEIIOItAPH.— PRBBS ASSOCIATION.)

,INVERCARGILL, 2nd June. A deputation representing the Farmers' Union asked the Prime Minister to-day for the exemption of agricultural and pastoral employers from the provisions of the Arbitration Court awards, and urged that unless farm labour was excluded from the award it would be impossible to work farms. : Mr. Massey. said he supposed there would' always be complaints, from dissatisfied parties about I the Arbitration ' Court rulings. He thought there was a remedy, and though he could' not» tell them what it was he would tbe in a position', to tell the House what was intended. The Court was going to last, but,. the legislation must be amended; His own opinion was that: the public shpuld be represented on the Court. He had been looking into the experience of\ other countries, and thought that some of their legislation might be copied with advantage. If they were to have more production they must remove some of the present restrictions. Much could be done to increase production, and it was a public duty to help. The harassing restrictions oh wheat growing must be removed if the industry was'to prosper. Replying to a deputation urging' the continuation of the Tapanui-Catlins line, to-day, the Prime Minister said thei Government could not go in for railway building unless sure that the traffic was available, otherwise it would be better to, give settlers good roads. He believed by the way tilings were, going that instead of running'grains half empty the Government would *close down some services and employ motor-lorries to do the work. The Government was concentrating on unfinished .works now, such as the Otira tunnel.- The line in question was really an extension, but he thought it quite probable that it would be proceeded wjth. > . ' The Prime Minister's Southland' tour concluded to-day,', when he received a number of deputations. Mr. Massey was the guest of the Southland League at Inncheon, and left for the North by the express. ,