INDUSTRIAL LEGISLATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 21 May 1936, Page 6

INDUSTRIAL LEGISLATION

REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIONS AMENDMENT MADE TO BILL i i> * DOMESTICS AND HOMES (From “The Mail’s” Parliamentary . ) Reporter) WELLINGTON, 20lh May. It is the intention of the Government to amend the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill in the direction of removing restrictions where work is not carried on for the pecuniary gain of the employer. The Bill, as passed by the House of Representatives, provided that no award or industrial agreement should affect tho employment of any worker who was em-. ployed hv any charitable or religious organisation in any industry that was carried on by it otherwise than for pecuniary gain. It also stated that the fact that any work was not carried on for tho pecuniary gain of the employer should not restrict the application of any award or industrial agreement.

Speaking on the motion to commit the Bill in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, the Leader of the Council (the Hon. M. Fagan) said that when the Bill was in the Committee stage he intended to move that the clause be deleted. “I had my doubtsvn connection with this clause,” he said, “and I have consulted with the Government and the Minister in charge of the Bill, and I propose to move that the clause be struck out when the Bill is in Committee.” (Hear, hear.)

Mr Fagan pointed out that in tho first place the clause referred to charitable or religious organisations, whereas there were many charitable institutions not religious that would not be covered by the clause. Further, employment might be given to an unemployed man or a 'returned soldier, and under the clause it- would be necessary for an employer to secure an under-rate workers permit from the Arbitration Court. There had also been much misapprehension, particularly in the House of Representatives, as to the effect of the clause as far as private houses were concerned in the event of a domestic servants’ union being registered, and officers of the union calling at the home and being generally annoying. Mr Fagan added that section 354 of the principal Act still afforded protection to charitable and religious organisations.