PRECEDENT CLAIMED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 74, 24 September 1937, Page 15

PRECEDENT CLAIMED

FREEZING TROUBLE

ACTION BY MINISTER

The part played by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) in bringing about a settlement of the Auckland freezing workers' strike early in the year was defended by the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) when speaking in the Address-•in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives today.

The Minister of Labour had performed a great service to the farmers on that occasion, said Mr. Webb. He did not break any law but merely arranged conferences with the men and the employers, as a result of which an increase in pay was made. In 1916 the late Sir William Herries had done exactly the same thing.

Opposition members: No.

Mr. Webb: The hon. gentlemen don't known what they are talking about. I want to assure them that I am not making an empty statement. In 1916, when there was a drivers' dispute, Cabinet had agreed that an increase in wages should be made, Mr. Webb continued. What the Minister of Labour did this year had been done in the past and, if common sense was to' rule, it would be done again ih similar circumstances in the future. But for the Minister's action, the farmers of the Waikato would have suffered severely through the stoppage of work. A situation admittedly difficult was handled in a way that allowed their produce to get away. Everybody but members of the Opposition was highly pleased at the great work the Minister of Labour had performed on that occasion. He did nothing unconstitutional and nothing that had not been done in the past. "I am sure that occasions such as this will arise in the future and must be dealt with in the same way," said Mr. Webb.

Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford) : That is a direct incitement to the men to do the same again.

Mr. Webb: If there is one member in this House who is always inciting someone to do something that they should not do it is the hon. member for Stratford.