POLITICAL JOTTINGS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 18 June 1926, Page 5

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

NOTES FROM PARLIAMENT.

THE RIGHT TO WORK

UNEMPLOYMENT QUESTION.

(By Telegraph—Special to The Star.)

WELLINGTON, June 17. jls the Government prepared.'to . introduce a Right to Work Bill, was one of the first questions .put when the House reached the business stage to-day. j . Mr Fraser, who put this" to’,the Prime Minister, suggested that it would apply for employment at award rates, or if no employment was available on these conditions, that an allowance sufficient' for the maintenance of the unemployed worker and his dependents .be paid {>y the State. Mr Sullivan suggested it was undesirable that immigrants be informed by the High Commissioner that there was plenty of work in New Zealand.. He instanced a case where an immigrant having been told this, arrived at Christchurch last December, paying.'the fare of his wife and himself and; landing with £45, all of .which, had been spent and he had no employment. . .Mr, Holland, Leader of the Opposition, asked, in the course of a question without notice, if the Prime Minister would indicate what steps were being taken to relieve unemployment in centres as well'as in smaller places such as Palmerston North, Gisborne and Napier; also if the award rates were being observed in connection with the work that had been provided. Mr Holland wanted to know if the: Prime Minister was aware of the acute distress prevalent among some families . owing to unemployment, and that some were without* the bare necessities of life.

Mr Coates, replying, explained that a conference had been called at which the Minister of Labour, himself and' the »•: heads of all departments employing’men were present. It was agreed that all departments, particularly Labour, Public Works, Railways and Forestry should co-operate and co-ordinate their efforts in finding employment. It had been made clear that it was the Government’s desire that the State should co-operate with local bodeis with the object of finding employment for as many men as possible. With regard to payments so far as Government works were concerned, the rate paid was 14/6 per day to married men and 10s to single. A good deal of the work was being carried out on the co-opera-tive system, but a week or a fortnight was allowed to men who were not accustomed to that system in order, to let 1 them" settle down. The Forestry and Railways Departments were providing work for men incapable of heavy work. Already arrangements had been made for the transfer of £IOO,OOO to the Main Highways Board to allow it to assist. Later in the session, honourable members would be asked to agree to that. The Government had asked the Department of Labour in particular, and the hospital board welfare committees ‘to provide estimates as to likely expenditure in relief in cases of extraordinary demands on charitable aid boards, and where cases of genuine distress occurred the Government ■would act in a liberal manner. ■ ■

EXTENSIVE PENSIONS DEMANDS.

The majority of questions talpled today related to further demands for widening the pensions schOmes. Mr P. Fraser asked the Minister of Pensions when his- promised;.-general scheme of pensions would be submitted. Mr Parry tabled a ‘question asking if the Government -would increase the old age pension to 25s .per iveek to provide an additional pension for the blind and introduce an Invalidity Pensions Bill. Mr Fraser supplemented his previous effort with a suggestion for an increase to 25s weekly in the widow’ pensions and a similar provision for deserted wives. " 1 ....... - . ■ SOUTH ISLAND- AFFAIRS." * l'; Canterbury members of the House are co-operating this session oh. matters of common interest,- and Mr' Sullivan (Avon) is chairman of their committee. They meet early next week to discuss the electoral position, in the South Island, Lincoln College in relation to the agricultural university scheme, and the inter-island ferry service. Strong representation is likely to be made to the Government over the reinstatement of the Mararoa in the service, when it was understood that if an extra 2s fid was paid on the old fare this vessel would not again be used. . LOANS FOR LOCAL BODIES. f WELLINGTON, June 17. Replying to questions regarding unemployment, the Prime Minister stated that the public departments were nowemploying men as follows: —Railways 450; Public Works, from 500 to 700; Forestry Department, 50. These, of course, were in addition to the regular constructional employees. Replying to Mr D. G.. Sullivan (Avon) the Prime Minister said the Government did propose to introduce legislation to enable local bodies to raise loans expeditiously to meet unemployment needs. It was proopsed to give ten days in which to raise objections against the proposals of local bodies, and in other ways the pirocess of raising money would be speeded up. The Government could not undertake to provide all the money likely to be raised under this system. He understood, however, that the Public Trust Office and the State Fire Office were prepared to meet all urgent requirements.