Minister Urged To Speed Wharfwork

Northern Advocate, 15 July 1949, Page 3

Minister Urged To Speed Wharfwork

WELLINGTON, Fri. (P.A.)—A request that the Minister of Labour (Mr McLagan) immediately go into the question of speeding up work on the waterfront was made by Mr‘A. S. Sutherland (O—Hauriki) at question time in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr Sutherland quoted a report that overtime work would be refused at all ports if the demands by the watersiders for amendment of the regulations governing the Waterfront Industry Authority were not granted by the Government. He said the watersiders had made a similar demand in 1947 and won the day. Speaking later in the Address-in-Reply debate, Mr W. H. Gillespie (O Hurunui) asked of what use it was for the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) to broadcast, as he did recently, on fertiliser supplies, if at the same time the waterside workers were deciding to work shorter hours. Additional produce would be useless if it were to be left to clutter up the wharf sheds.

Housewives' Burden

Housewives’ burdens came in for brief mention in the House of Representatives last night when the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry) said he would not be happy until there had been established in the country organisations which could provide trained nurses who could be sent to relieve busy housewives of their worries over children, and so permit them to take a holiday. Mr K. J. Holyoake (O—Pahiatua): Has the Minister ever thought of introducing a 40-hour week for housewives?

Papers Thanked

The newspapers of ,New Zealand thanked by the Minister of Education (Mr McCombs) in the House of Representatives last night for their cooperation in the campaign for the emergency teachers’ training scheme. The Minister said that one or tu;o newspapers took the opportunity to take a dig at the Government, but the majority had given full support. Mr J. T. Watts (O—St Albans); Tire newspapers give support to any worthy cause.

Volunteer Firemen

Notice to introduce the first private member's bill of the session was given in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr W. S. Goosman (O Piako). The bill is an amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and its purpose is to exempt volunteer fire brigadesmen from the terms of the principal act by proposing that they shall not be required to belong to any union.

Income. Information

Notice was given by Mr W. H. Fortune (O—Eden) in the House of Representatives yesterday to ask the Minister of Finance if he was aware that officers of the Land and Income Tax Department had been demanding information under section 12 ‘of the Finance Act. 1948 (No. 2), which requires a taxpayer to furnish in writing any information which officer* think necessary.

Mr Fortune asked the Minister of issue instructions that such information should be demanded only when the department has ground to suspect that false returns of income have been made.

Games Stamp ?

A special issue of postage stamps to commemorate the British Empire Games in Auckland early next year was sought by five Auckland Labour members in the House of Representatives yesterday. They were . Messrs T. E. Skinner (Tamaki). R. Macdonald (Ponsonby), C. R. Petrie (Otahuhu). W. T. Anderton (Auckland Central) and F, Langstone (Roskill). The members pointed out that the Postmaster-General had agreed to the issuing of special stamps to commemoriate the Christchurch centennial and that Auckland had had to forgo its centennial because of the war.