PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 83, 9 April 1931, Page 13

PARLIAMENT

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Hon. C. J. Carrington gave notico to ask the Leader of the Council whether the Government would grant urgency to the question of providing farmers with fertilisers. Replying to Mr. Carrington, the Leader of the Council (Sir Thomas Sidoy) said: "The question of adjustment of wholesale and retail prices involves in the first instance a gmit deal of investigatory work by qualified accountants. The Department of Industries and Commerce already has the organisation for, and has been engaged in, such work in the main centres and elsewhere. Any reasonable complaints or inquiries by members of the public or by organisations are investigated and where necessary action is taken following upon the result of such investigations. Nevertheless the Government will consider the suggestion that consumers' committees should be set up to assist the Department." . Besuming the debate on the Finance Bill, the Hon. W. Earnshaw said ho recognised that the country was in an appalling situation, and that a readjustment was essential, but he wholeheartedly denounced the moans which the Government had adopted of dealing with the problem. The Government's policy was a disastrous one,: and he would not be worth his salt if he failed to do so. He thought it would be a very gracious thing if the Judges of the Supreme Court followed the example of His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General, and voluntarily submitted to a 10 per cent, "cut" iv their salaries. It was not right that the Judge of tho Arbitration Court, who was exempt from the reductions, should impose the "cuts" on tho working men of the country. Mr. Earnshaw expressed tho view that there should be some limit placed ' oil the powers of the Judge of the Arbitration Court in respect of wage reductions. The Judge of the Court should.not make reductions in excess of 10 per cent. At present there was a wholesale frontal attack on labour, and labour had to realise that it had to put its back to the wall and fight for its very existence. . (Loft sitting.) HOUSE.OF REPRESENTATIVES The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. Mr. C. H. Chapman (Labour, Wellington North) gave notice to ask the Minister in Charge of the Government Printing Office whether he is aware that apprentices in that office whose wages are in accordance with an apprenticeship order of the Arbitration Court • have had their wages reduced By 10 per cent., notwithstanding clause .1.7 of the Finance Bill, which directs that existing contracts- of apprentices shall' not be so interfered with, and whether the Minister will arrange that apprentices so affected will be reimbursed the amouut so deducted. Mr. W. J, Poison (Independent, Stratford) gave notice to ask the Minister of Agriculture whether he would provide facilities to farmers, who were unable to take advantage of the Bural Intermediate Credits Board, to obtain fertilisers on deferred payment. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he was able to state when final payments would be made by the State under guarantee in respect to fruit exported last season. The Minister (the Hon. A. J. Murdoch) said he regretted, that a definite statement "could not yet be made owing to the fact that there was a claim pending by the Fruit Board against a shipping company, and until that had been decided a statement in respect to the guarantee could not be made. If there were special cases the questioner could submit, the Minister said the Department would be pleased to look into them. ...Mr. J. O'Brien (Labour, Westland) p.slced the Minister of Labour whether it was not possible to find employment on, relief works for young men under 20 years of age who had dependants. . The Minister (the Hon. S. G. Smith) said that owing to the strain that was being placed on the Unemployment Board's fund it was possible to place these men on work under Scheme No. 4A only, which referred to farm work. Mr. O'.£rien also asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the hardship caused to men who have been out of work through illness or other causes and who are prevented from obtaining work under tho Unemployment Board's scheme through being unable to pay the levy, he would take steps to enable them to sign declarations before local postmasters, the postmasters being given power to grant exemption after the declaration is signed if they are satisfied the cases are genuine cases of hardship. Mr. Smith replied that the board went to great pains to prevent hardship as far as possible in such cases. Mr. W. D. Lysnai- (Independent, Gisborne): "Let their unions pay the levy." • The Minister said that if the member would supply names and particulars of the cases that had come under his notice he would be pleased to place the case before the board to see if something could be done. Mr. E. M'Keen (Labour, Wellington South) asked the Minister of Labour whether he is awaro that men employed in the GoveiVment Printing Office, working under industrial awards of the Arbitration Court, have boon given .notice that their, wages are to bo reduced from the Ist April, and whether the Minister would sta',' under what authority this instruction has been given. Mr. Smith replied that the employees in the Government Printing Office were not bound by awards of the Court, and the proposed 10 per cent, cut for Civil servants would of course apply to them. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. H. E. Holland): "But the Finance Bill is not law yet." EARTHQUAKE BILL. Continuing the debate on the second reading of the Hawkes Bay Earthquake Bill, Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labour, Avon) said that the task of framing the Bill must have been a tremendous one, and on the whole the Government and its officers were to be congratulated on what they had accomplished. Howevor, certain provisions would require to be put right if members of the House did not wish to be regarded as fiddlers. One Court would not be enough enable all' claims to be heard within a reasonable time. Beferring to the local body indebtedness already incurred in Napier and Hastings he said that some more generous provision should be made than by making loans interest free for five years only. _ He suggested making the currency of the loans 50 or 60 years instep.il o£ ;^0 years. This would reduce the nominal burden on the ratepayers very substnnI'ially. (Proceeding.)