ANTI-STRIKE BILL

Grey River Argus, 25 July 1934, Page 5

ANTI-STRIKE BILL

WAR REGULATIONS Adapted for Industrial Front LATEST COALITION MEASURES. (Our Parliamentary Reporter.) PARLIAMENT BLDGS., July 24. Legislation providing for the repeal of the much-discussed War Regulations—with important exceptions—was introduced into the House to-night by the Guvernor-Gen-eial’s message. The three exceptions, which are being put into statute form, deal with the following matters: — (1) The production of passports by persons arriving in New Zealand from overseas. (2) The control of wharves by the Government in cases of public necessity. (3) The prohibition of seditious strikes and lock-outs, and the control oi seditious literature. The War Regulations Repeal Bill makes provision for the total repeal of the war regulations with the exceptions as set out above. The Acts repealed are: The War Regulations Act. .1914; War Regulations Amend meat AcF. 1915; War Regulations Amendment Act, 1915 (No. 2); War Regulations ,Amendment Act.- 191r>; and certain sections of War Legislation Act, 1917; and the War Legislation Amendment Act. 1918. There is a clause providing that the status and powens of the Public Trustee, as Custodian of enemy property, is not to be affected in any way by the repeal of the regulations. Tn the Harbours Amendment Bill, which gives statutory effect to certain of the regulations repealed, power is given to the Governor-General to declare anv wharf to be a Government wharf, and to appoint controllers and assistant-controllers of such wharves. Power is given to the controller to employ labour for a Government wharf for fhe loading, unloading and despatch of vessels, and to order undesirable persons from anv wharf. The controller may close a Government wharf after notice of his intention to do so has been published in a newspaper circulating in the district, or after notice has been exhibited on a wharf. Permits will be necessary for entry ’On a closed wharf, except in the case of any person in the employment of the Crown, a person employed on the permanent staff of the Harbour Board, or any seaman 'Or passenger belonging to anv ship lying at or in the vicinity of the closed wharf. Every person commits an t»ffeSFe who wilfully damages a Government wharf, who incites anv other person to refuse or fail to offer, or render, service as a wharf labourer on any Government wharf, or who does any act, or publishes any utterance intended or calculated to interfere with the effective use. control, ur administration of a Government wharf, or with proper loading, unloading or despatch of any vessel lying at a Government wharf, or who conspires with any other person to pi event delay, or otherwise interfere with, the proper loading, unloading nr despatch of any vessel. Auy constable or Customs officer is empowered to search and detain for the purpose of searching, any person. conveyance, package, or receptacle of any description found on or about any wharf or ship. Any person committing an offence against the Act is to be liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment lor three months, or a fine <of £lOO. The Passports Bill empowers the Governor Geueral-in-Council to make regulations requiring production of passports by persons arriving in New Zealand from overseas. Persons failing to produce a passport aue liable to three months’ imprisonment, or a fine of £lOO. The Police Offences Amendment Bill gives the Governor-General pow er to declare industries to be essential industries. It is declared that every person commits an offence againsf this Act. who is a party to a seditious strike or a seditious lockout. or who incites, encourages, or procures any such strike or, lock-out or its continuance. It is also an offence for persons to print, publish, sell, distribute or have in their possession for sale, or distribution. or bring, or cause to be brought, or sent into New Zealand, any document which incites, advises or advocates violence, lawlessness, or disorder, -or expresses any seditions intention.