ARBITRATION BILL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22319, 2 May 1947, Page 5

ARBITRATION BILL

DEBATE RESTRICTED

HOUSE PASSES MEASURE

CANBERRA. May 1. The contentious Amending Arbitration Bill has passed all stages in the House of Representatives. As expected, the Government invoked the guillotine to restrict the discussion, which meant that a number of Government amendments went through in block form without a debate. The main provision of the bill is for, the appointment of a number of additional conciliation commissioners whose powers are considerably extended to enable them to deal with industrial disputes in all stages. The Opposition turned the tables in the concluding stages by virtually gagging Dr. H. V. Evatt.

Five minutes before the debate was due Mr. Holt (Liberal) moved that Dr, Evatt be no longer heard. As the House was dividing on Mr. Holt’s motion the time allowed for the debate under the guillotine motion passed last week expired. During the division Mr. Holt said: “We have reached page 17 of a 25-page bill.”

Other Opposition members charged that the Government, after limiting the time of the debate, had put up as many Labour speakers as possible to prevent Opposition amendments. i