AMENDING THE LABOUR LAWS

Northern Advocate, 10 March 1936, Page 9

AMENDING THE LABOUR LAWS

MINISTER’S FOUR MEASURES

[Svectat to Northern Advocate.'’] WELLINGTON, This Day. It is possible that an extra court will be created in New Zealand to deal with compensation cases. The Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, announced yesterday that he was considering that question because, when the powers of the Arbitration Court were restored, that body would have sufficient work without having to deal with compensation cases.

Quoting instances from past experience, the Minister said it had often happened that workers had had to wait six months before their cases were heard. He aimed to prevent that, but had not yet decided on the composition of the Compensation Court. - That possibly would consist of a judge, a doctor and a workers’ representative.

When the session opens, the Minister will have four Bills for introduction, all being amendments to the existing legislation, and all aiming to improve the conditions of the workers, without penalising the employers. The four measures would be: —An Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill; a Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill, Factories Act Amendment Bill, and Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill, The Minister is also considering the Apprentices’ Act, but may not have his amendment ready for this session. The main proposals in the four measures are as follows: The Workers’ Compensation Amendment Bill aims at increasing the benefits 'to workers in various ways. As an example, he stated that the present earnings of relief workers were very low and when one of them had an accident, compensation was assessed on that basis. The Minister felt that was wrong, and it would be assumed, for the purpose of the coming legislation, that a relief worker had worked full time, and compensation would be based on a 40-hour week, instead of on the actual time worked.

The principle of the 40-hour week will be embodied in all legislation brought down by the Minister, and it would apply in practice unless an employer could show why it should not be applied in his particular case.

The Factories Act Amendment Bill will completely overhaul the existing legislation and remove some of the anomalies. It deals primarily with hours of work and minimum rates of pay of those not covered by awards.