NOTICES OF DISMISSAL

Evening Star, Issue 22351, 29 May 1936, Page 6

NOTICES OF DISMISSAL

CANNOT EVADE MINIMUM WAGE CLAUSE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWING POSITION CLOSELY [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 29. In tho House this _ morning, Mr Chapman asked the Minister of Labour, in conjunction with tho members for Napier, Hawke’s Bay, Timaru, and Nelson, whether he will take steps to ensure that tho policy of the Government in connection witli shops and offices is not rendered ineffective through tho discharge of employees before Julv 1. Ho said a chain stores firm with shops in many towns of the Dominion had given its staff a week’s notice, and offered to re-employ them on a temporary basis for the apparent purpose of evading application of the Government measure respecting tho wage standards of the shop assistants. Mr Armstrong, in reply, quoted section 7 sub danse 3 of the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, and said that in view of the concluding words of the sub clause, employers must credit employees with service prior to the passing of the Act, and cannot evade the minimum wages requirements of the section by dismissing shop assistants prior to July Ist, and reengaging them. . . ~ It was further provided in Section 21 of tho Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, that no person employed in any shop or office shall be dismissed or reduced in wages merely by reason of any alteration made in working hours under the Bill. These two clauses might prove sufficient to ensure that the Government’s policy was not rendered ineffective through the discharge of employees, but in any case the department was closely watching the position throughout New Zealand, and if it appeared to he necessary in the light of reports which ho received from the districts, the Government would consider what further steps should be taken to see that the purposes of tho present legislation were not frustrated.

“As far as the particular case quoted by members is concerned,” he added, “ the department took the matter up yesterday with the firm concerned, and has received an assurance that tho notices issued to the members of its staff in various parts of New Zealand on the 27th instant have been withdrawn.” Mr Armstrong said this position did not apply only to one firm, and quoted instances where other firms had given their employees notice of dismissal. with a life insurance policy being given as collateral security, and said those who had first claim to a life insurance policy were the widow and family. PRACTICAL ENDORSEMENT. offered by Mr Hamilton was all the offered by Mr Hamilton was all the Opposition had to say the Government could take it as an endorsement of the Bill. He thought the taking away of 25 millions from the people by the last Government was largely responsible, for the decrease in house building. He thought they would all welcome the change of name of the corporation. Providing homes for the people was the greatest work on which a Government could engage. He thought the provision of a half-table and half-flat mortgage was an excellent one, and would make payments easier. People had to have homes, and the Government would provide them so that people would retain their self-respect—-the greatest asset of any country. BEGINNINGS OF GREAT CHANGE. Mr Savage said he and many other members now on tho Government benches had said the Government would transform the money system so that money would be a true reflection of the goods and services the people of New Zealand were capable of bringing into existence, and ho thought it worth while to make it quite clear that they were at tho beginning of a great change. The Government policy must be reflected in every action of the corporation board, which was managing the position for the people of the Dominion; and for Mi 1 Hamilton to say the new corporation fell short of the old State Advances Department was misrepresentation. Mr Hamilton had complained of the time allowed to study the Bill, but he (Mr Savage) could remember the last night of the last session, when eight Governor-General’s Messages came down, and he failed to realise the meaning of half the legislation, so that criticism of lack of time to study the Bill came very badly from Mr Hamilton and his party. Mr Hamilton had also mentioned the difficulty of controlling rising _ prices, but the Government was going to keep prices from rising. They had the power, and were gong to exercise it. The Government was going to its task with its eyes open, and realised its responsibility. The State Advances Department had got into difficulties because the last Government weakened the foundations upon which it rested—the power of the people to pay rents. The people had said that State enterprise Jiad failed, but the Government was there to show that State enterprise had not failed. No one would say that conditions today were the same as in 1894, but they were similar, and if they had more Seddons, more Batlances, and more Wards the world to-day would be the richer. The Government might make mistakes, but it would not discover anything new in doing that, and it would discover other things as well. He believed mortgagors and mortgagees would bless the day when the Labour Government was established, because they would find that their equities had been restored. There were people perambulating the country saying the Government was going to destroy it. hut he did not mind them. He would meet them any time on the public platform and let the people be the jury. He had given his word to the people, and would not break it. That legislation was being introduced because there was need for it. He asked the people not to worry about the speculator, because though he ■•'it win the first skirmish or two the Government would win in the end. People would have nothing to lose by the passage of that legislation. The debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 10.30 p.m.