PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21078, 15 April 1932, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 11. Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. UN EMPLOYMENT BILL. Resuming the debate on the second reading of the Unemployment Amendment Bill, Hon. C. J. Carrington said the Bill would assist both tho rural population and the unemployed. Ho believed the educational system had been responsible to some extent lor the unemployment problem. Hon. G. Witty said the Bill was an honest attempt to place the people on tho land. Caro would have to be exercised as to tho choice of land and the choice of men. Sir James Allen said tho only way they could satisfactorily solve the unemployment problem was by a spirit of co-operation. The Bill only touched the fringe of the problem. There were 45,000 unemployed in New Zealand, but only 7,000 would be dealt with by the Bill. He would like to know what was going to happen to the others. Tho increase which had taken place in tho number of unemployed both in New Zealand and other countries made one wonder whether the problem was really being tackled. Hon. G. J. Garland said that the settlers should not bo taken too far away from tho population centres. The Bill was progressive, and should prove beneficial. Hon. J. B. Gow said that the fears which he had expressed when the original Act was passed had not been allayed. The present Bill,was not a solution, but merely a palliative. The State could never employ all tho workless, although it should endeavour to open up avenues of employment. It was desirable that married men should bo settled on the land, but it would bo a dangerous experiment from the point of view of the public purse. Hon, J. Trevithick supported the Bill in its entiret}' because it was based on sound economic principles. Sir William Hall-Joues said the Bill would bo of great assistance to the unfortunate married man with a family who was unable to secure work. It was unfair that women/did not receive the benefit of tho money they paid into the Unemployment Fund. • Hon. M. Fagan said tho time for action had arrived in the handling of the unemployment problem. Ho doubted whether tho shilling tax would be sufficient.

Replying to the debate, Sir Janies Parr said there was no doubt the scheme would prove a failure unless the right men were put on the land. If the measure did nothing else but check the drift to the towns it would bo of great benefit. Ho agreed that the wage tax was heavy, hut he was afraid it would be necessary during the winter. The second reading was carried on the voices, and the Council rose at 5.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. to-morrow. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. MEAT FOR THE UNEMPLOYED. Mr W. J. Poison asked the Minister in Charge of Unemployment whether ho had investigated the plan put forward by the Farmers’ Union that the Unemployment Board should buy from the farmers for delivery at the abattoirs good quality cow beef for distribution among the unemployed at a price lower than the meat could be obtained at present. He said that such a plan would keep down the cost of living for the unemployed, and at the same time would give the farmers a market for their beef. Mr Coates said he would be very pleased 'to consider any plan that the Farmers’ Union might put forward. The board had already bought 1,200 head of cattle, but that would be insufficient to meet requirements. WHITE BUTTERFLY PEST. Mr R. A. Wright {Wellington Suburbs) asked whether the Department of Agriculture intended to introduce wasps into New Zealand to destroy the white butterfly, and if it realised that the wasps might prove a more serious pest than the white butterfly. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr G. E. Macmillan) said that, while the parasites intended to be utilised for destroying the white butterfly belonged to the wasp family, they were quite different from the ordinary wasp. They were minute insects which possessed no stings, consumed no food during the period they were on the wing, and during all other stages of their lives fed only on the larvae of the butterfly.

POLICE AND DEMONSTRATORS. Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) asked whether tho Minister of Justice (Mr J, G. Cobbe) had read the account of the unemployed demonstration at Auckland vesterday, and whether, in view of tlie peaceful nature of .the procession indicated by the report he did not think the police had used their batons hastily.

Tlie Hon. A. J, Cohbe replied that there was no reason whatever to think that the police had used their batons hastily. Strict instructions had been given to the police to use their batons only in oases of absolute necessity, and he thought it was generally admitted that the police had exorcised the greatest patience. SURPLUS FRUIT FOR UNEMPLOYED, Mr G. C. Black (Motueka) asked whether, in view of the fact that the fruit crop this year was greater than the market requirements the Government would arrange to take over the surplus fruit for the benefit of the unemployed. Mr Contes said that the Unemployment Board was already in touch with the Fruit Board with a view to making such arrangements. THE ARBITRATION HILL. The House considered tire amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. The Minister of Labour (Hon, A. Hamilton) moved that the amendments be disagreed with. Mr J. M‘Combs (Lyttelton) then moved as an amendment that they be disagreed with with the exception of tho amendment made in clause 7 giving women workers tho right, to apply to the Arbitration Court for the fixation of tho minimum rates of wages. Seconding Mr M'Comhs’s amendment, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) said a new principle was introduced into clause II in that the bonus system was involved. The bonusystom would make for wholesale sweating throughout the dominion. The original clause (providing for the payment on a piecework basis) was bad enough because it gave employers the power to ignore the industrial organisation of the worker and make a bargain with the individual worker, but tho bonus system would ho oven worse. Mr Forbes said the clause relating

to women and tho court was intended t carry out an undertaking; lie had given in the House during the committee stage of tho Bill, and lie would have the matter of the women workers reconsidered by the Council. There was some small objection, however, to tho form in which the change had been made. It was largely a matter of legal phraseology. It was a question as to whether the clause expressed accuratelytho Government’s intention. The amendment moved by Mr M'Combs was defeated by 42 votes to 29, and Mr Hamilton’s” motion was adopted. Mr I l '. W. Schramm (Auckland East), Mr W. A. Bodkin (Central Otago), and Mr A. Hamilton were appointed managers to confer with the representatives of the Legislative Council and to state as tho House’s reason for disagreement that the amendments did not clearly define tho intention desired. NATIONAL EXPENDITURE ADJUSTMENT BILL. Resuming tho debate on the second reading of the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill, Mr G. H. Chapman (Wellington North) alleged that the Government at the General Election had given the country no indication that it intended to introduce legislation of the nature embodied in the Bill. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SESSION The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Continuing the debate, Mr J. A. Hargest (Invercargill) said he regarded the Bill as a genuine attempt to face tho country’s problems. He believed Now Zealand’s representatives attending the Ottawa Conference should point out that the country had effected economies, eliminated extravagance, and made an honest effort to place its house in order. They, should then explain that unless the price levels for the dominion’s products in other countries were raised New Zealand would have to face its inability to pay its creditors hi full. No one stood for repudiation or default, but there was no use disregarding the fact that creditors could not bo paid in full unless tho price levels rose. Mr Hargest favoured an ‘additional 3d wages tax with the object of eliminating pensions reductions and reducing the' burden which Civil servants were being asked to bear. Ho commented on the disparity between the average rate of superannuation received in the Civil Service and the amount received by the favoured few. It Had never been intended, he argued, that a few individuals should retire on £BOO, £I,OOO, or even £2,000 a year, which was out of all proportion to tho amount of their contribution. He regarded these large superannuation payments as a source of revenue for the Government. Mr Hargest said that although ho desired to remain loyal to his party he could not stand for a reduction in soldiers’ and old age pensions. Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) said that Labour’s policy was to use the present financial machinery which had been placed on the Statute Book for the purpose of raising money for war activities for construction instead of destruction. Labour would , raise money within New Zealand and engage the unemployed at a decent standard wage-instead of a miserable p' tance. People with money would bo asked to lend it to the Government at a reasonable rate of interest instead of having it taken from them in taxation, as was being done bv the present Government. Mr W. P.” Endenu (Parnell) said he felt sure the people would stand behind the Government in its effort to honour its obligations. He would support the Bill, but 1.3_ disagreed with the section which eliminated the principle of free negotiation between landlord and tenpnt. Pie declared that rent had already fallen substantially, and in many cases in Auckland the reduction had been to tho tune of something like 30 per cent. Mr Endean said tho Bill was revolutionary, but desperate diseases required desperate remedies. It was disappointing that Cabinet had introduced into the rent and interest section of the Bill the compulsory principle, which was the reverse of what it insisted upon in connection with industrial relations. It should not interfere between the mortgagor and the mortgagee or landlord and tenant. Why did not the Government tax sugar? He believed a penny in the pound tax would produce £900,000. Mr A. S. Richards (Roskill) said there was a feeling of despair throughout New Zealand as a result of the Government’s policy. Mr Forbes was completely out of touch with the general opinion regarding the proposals before the House. The proposals in the Budget would reduce tho people to a state of semi-pauperism. Mr H. S. S. Kyle said if the Government set up any more commissions it would become known as the Government which handed over the Treasury benches to commissions. If commissions were to be set up they should consist of members of Parliament. Mr W. E. Barnard (Napier) said it was the duty of Parliament to break out of the financial iveb in which the Government was getting tho country more and more enmeshed. Ho prophesied that New Zealand would follow the example of Newfoundland, which was in the hands of the bailiff. The debate urns continued by Mr A. .1. Stalhvorthy, who quoted at length from a book on credit. lie advocated a single clause Bill limiting tho rate of bank interest. It was strange that hank interest rates were not affected by the Bill. The debate was adjourned, and tho House rose at 0.20 a.m. till to-morrow morning.