DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 619, 15 November 1913, Page 5

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT.

LABOUR MEMBERS BILL. INTRODUCTION NEGATIVED. /BY TKLEGRAFH. —PHKSS ASSOCIATION.! Wellington, Friday. ! The strike situation was discussed in th 9 Houße at length this afternoon. In moving for leave to introduce the Settlement of the 1913 Industrial Strike and Lock-out Bill, Mr Webb said he was actuated bv a desire to effect a settlement of the existing industrial crisis so as to allow the industries of the country to continue. He submitted that the Federation of Labour was a perfectly legal organisation, duly constituted in conformity with the law. The law of the land had not been infringed or broken in any way hy the strikers. The Bill suggested a penalty for strikes or lockouts; cases to be heard before a magistrate whose d"ciison shall be final. If the strike contined there would be thousands of farmers and business men ruined, and thousands of working people would be reduced to want. If Parliament faced the situation a? Parliament should do. the trouble would be endad this week. Hundreds of thousands of people were looking to Parliament to effect a settlement. The shipping companies should not be alllow ed to dictate to the workers just how they should organise: nor should they be allowed to keep their ships out in the stream holding up the whole of the Dominion's commerce on account of dogmatism. Mr Robertson spoke in support of the motion. Mr Russell said it was time Parliament took a in hand a settlement of the greatest strike Now Zealand had known. He dwelt upon the enormous amount of money the strike was costing the country both in the cost nf preservation of order sad the losses of farmers and business men. He put it to the Preimer whether lie did not think it would he statesmanlike to realise that some assistance was desirable to hrinr sech n disastrous thing to an end. lie dm not think the present state o\ affairs should continue for one day while people were being ruined. It was Parliament's duty to step in and put the matter right on a right and just Mr Veitch said it was very difficult for them to sit; in the House day atfer day seeing minor matters being dealt with while the greatest crisis known to the country existed. If the | strike were allowed to tissh: out the workers would no hack in anything but a peaceful frame of mind, and the trouble would be by no means over. | The trouble was one where two extremes had met. On (ho one band syndicalist unionists, sod on (he other combined wealth. neither of which were in the interests- ei ',-.■>■■ country. He asked what baa (he wn.stovers' Association done in • -s--i:•( d.wards a settlement? He wanted (c know what would happen lo '■'■<■ emmiry if it were wholly cent sal be hy full-pursed combines. The wh <ic cause of the discontent amon.ss! wsr.e-earimrs was in consequence of \he aciions of wealthy monopolies. He submitted that there were not ■< nei rent, of lawless people amonr; (be sirlkws The rest were decern we; him: people, and those people won- goisig to go down unless Parliament took a stand. He suggested (ho .of tins up of a Parliamentary Committee i;-, arrive at a basis of settlement. Mr Payne submitted that the shipping combine was taking up an illegal attitude. 11 was over-riding law and Parliament, by saying that the men should not be provided with work unless (hoy registered under the Arbitration Act He pleaded for the extermination of what he termed the ''middleman octopus" (he Employers' Federation, which rode on the backs of (he farm-as- ami workers. ! ?-.\y Hi Tsmsvsh. ssid (he penalty for I hscash of eonirsei provided in the Bill ■ V ::\: jus; a. .-'hciesw as (ho Arbitration :.. Vm t avam. i'ws nonce had proved th,, !j!i-,a.-.-(e rrsah of a strike Was ,::,,., .- w a, hj; ;,» (he workers, whether ih, , v.-i'i. ii -■ ■ -. i . ile felt convinced : (;-,.-;t the wkw' labourers' conditions would, a: ,'atitie, receive the attention of ','■■■■■ l o'tisiatiiro. He was satis- ; fieri ParSieioen! could do something to aoive the, riiiiic.olfy. j Th<- Hoasa divided, and the motion ! was is'setivad by -lb votes to 13.