UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

Grey River Argus, 26 August 1930, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

OBJECTIONS RAISED

By A. of L. Deputation

FLAT LEVY TO BE RESISTED. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 25. Opposition to the provisions of the I Unemployment Bill as returned to the ’.House of Representatives, was ex.'pressed by a deputation from the Al- ■ lianee of Labour, which waited on the i Prime Minister this afternoon. The I chief spokesman adopted a somewhat threatening attitude, declaring that if the Bill passed, the Alliance would be , compelled to ask its members hot to I assist in carrying it out. He also said I that the Alliance would not be a party to any political true while important Labour legislation was held up and unemployment was increasing. The General Secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, Mr A. Cook, said: “We trust you will never agree to this Bill becoming law unless rftdi- ] cally altered in conformity with some l of th ereeommendations placed before the Labour Bills Committee. The workers don’t want to escape their fair share, but when the lower-paid . worker is asked to pay the same tax 1 as the man who receives an income I possibly of £5,000 or £lO,OOO, we think we are quite justified in objecting. | Even if the Bill becomes law, we will ( oppose It in every possible way. We ' will be compelled to ask our Members | not to assist in carrying it out.” He. said it was generally assumed that a I truce existed between the political parties. He continued:—“l want to say that, I if there is a truce, the industrial or-1 ganisations are not a party to it while important Labour legislation is held up and an army of unemployed is grow- : ing.” < Mr Glover said it was rumoured ,

that there war a -compact existing be-• tween the thro political parties. The ■ Alliance of Labour was not a party to | any compact. He added:—“We enter the strongest possible protest against the Prime Minister leaving New Zea-; iland at a time when there is so mud discontent, stagnation and unemploy ment. The President of the Seamen’ Union (Mr F. I’. Walsh) said tha published figures showed there wen 5000 men in the five centres looking foi work. “Last week,” he said, “yot chartered a vessel to bring in hard wood sleepers. It was a Danish ves sei, employing Danish seamen, paying half the wages paid to New Zealand seamen, and working much longei hours. You employ vessels -worked bj coolie labour. We have eighteen ves seis laid up in New Zealand. Charter? could be given to them and they conic

aosoro ni.iiiy iiivii BLciiiuiiig uuvuipivjvi. on the beaches in New Zealand.” Premier in Reply innnn ni\r RF.T.TF.F WORKS.

PARLIAMENT MUST DECIDE. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 25. The Prime Minister, replying to tin deputation, said that the Government was still doing, and had done, mon than any other Government to dea with the unemployment problem. U had something like 16,000 men on pub lie works at present. It was also of i'ering £2 for £1 subsidy to the loea bodies to relieve the position. The money thus used had to be borrowed and there was a limit to financial resources. Mr Forbes continued: —'‘It seems inevitable that rationing will have tc

be introduced if we are to provide em ployment for everyone. It seems to bi coming fast. ’ ’ A deputationist: “What do you mean by rationing?’’ The Prime Minister: “Giving a man work for a certain time, and then standing him aside to give another man a chance.’’ When the deputation talked of starvation, he said he would like to know where that was possible in the Dominion when there was their Hospital and Charitable Aid Board organisation with the special duty of preventing such a thing. “As for this talk about my leaving New Zealand,” continued Mr Forbes, “do you mean to say that, because I leave New Zealand a while, the position of the Government comes to a standstill? Mr Bansoni is acting Prime Minister, with full authority to do all he can.” Mr Walsh:—“And the understanding that he cannot be shifted! ” The Prime Minister:—“The understanding is that there will bs no party advantage taken. Anything coming forward will be discussed and fought

out on the merits of the Bill.” When the deputation talked about what it would do if the Unemployment Bill were passed in its present form, his answer was that the Bill had been put forward. It was for Parliament to decide its final shape. He did not like to hear people say that they would not have the Bill because it did not suit them. “You will not get the Bill, if you act like that. But you will get a fair Bill. That, Parliament will give you. ’ ’ Mr Walsh:—“ls it fair to tax a man thirty shillings'?” The Prime Minister: —‘‘I cannot dictate to Parliament what it shall do! I want to see an Unemployment Bill, because I believe, despite what you say, that much good can be done. Parliament represents all sections, and it is not going to be browbeaten.” Mr Cook:—“The workers will not be browbeaten *n what they will accept!” The Prime Minister:—“The Bill is

prejudiced by such an attitudeMr Cook:— u Far better to have none than the Bill in its present form! ” . .v The Prime Minister replied that the Bill provided that the people in work could assist those who were out of work. . Mr Cook:—“In other words, a wagereducing Bill. ’ ’ The Prime Minister repeated that