“STARVATION RATES”

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1933, Page 8

“STARVATION RATES”

■!;: WAGES ON RELIEF WORKS. ' CONFLICT WITH CHAIR.. AIR O’BRIEN,CALLED TO ORDER. * J (Per. Press Association. —Copyright.) ~ WELLINGTON, This Day. Strong criticism of the reduction in -■ the'rates of relief pay brought Mr J. 'O.’Bricn /(Labour, Westland) into, conflict " With" the' Speaker, Sir Charles Stathaiu/ in' the House of Representa- , fives last ■ evening. The; Labour Party, by speaking on a M formal motion to enable the Estimates ;,.^.o ; :be./discussed, initiated a debate on . -the; Unemployment Board’s policy, .particularly in reference,to wages. ... Mr'O’Brien said in Westland reductions had in some cases amounted to as ■ mnch as 53 per • cent. ‘ ‘ Unless these . conditions are altered,” he said, “lam going to. take steps that may compel me , to leave-this House, but I would rather rbe/Out; of this House than remain in it and see rates of relief pay like these ecntinuing to operate.” Continuing, Mr O’Brien said it was scandalous that men should be asked to.-accept starvation rates. ‘ ‘ou must not emplov that'term/” Air C ’Brien: ‘‘l am applying it to , those' Avhd-fix/these rates of nay—l

don t care where they come fro'nu ,, Order! I must remind you that those words must not he applied to any member of this House." O Brien: I ‘l just feel that wav on ■the-matter— ” 3lr ( Speaker: “ Order !" 3lr ,E. Semple (Labour—Wellington East); “Stick to .your guns." : A fl iP. ,Bri en: “I wish to make it perfectly clear that these are starvation rates. : If • a member of the House is responsible' for them I am not withdrawing .my mords. ’ ’ . : JCr: Speaker: “Will you dear up the f' s , to whether you are referring to a-nipmber of the House?" ” y any .inember -:<Jf the House in narticu- • lar;"> • ■ •d • • ■ ■.•■■■■

Mr,. Speaker: , “If you. are applying thojgc ■ remsirks to any member of the Hope you must withdraw them.-’’ M^Q'Brien; ; “l don’t feel like withdrawing, .Sir, ’ ’ ■ Mt Speaker:“l must ask you to withdraw. , -I know you are speaking with great personal feeling, but the rules of the; ; forbid .that term to bo applied to :any member. ’ ’ Mr O’Brien: “I don’t wish to disobey .your rules, Sir. I don’t wish to attribute - these conditions to any mem-

ber of the Government, but I am so angry—” Mr Speaker: “I think you had bettor withdraw any suggestion that you are referring to any member of the House. ’’ Mr O’Brien; “I am not applying these words to any particular member.’’ Mr Speaker: “Or to any member?’’

Mr O’Brien: “Yes, I will say that.’’’ Labour .members continued to discuss unemployment until , the time arrived for the adjournment of the. House at midnight. Mr Speaker explained that under the Standing Orders, the House would go into committee to deal with estimates today, without the usual formal motion being submitted to the House. It would not be possible to resume the debate on the question.