CANDOUR IN PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16657, 29 September 1917, Page 6

CANDOUR IN PARLIAMENT.

MR. VEITCH DRAWS MINISTER.

[by TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

WELLINGTON, Friday. Speaking on the Imprest Supply Bill in the House of Representatives, Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui), to-day complained that Labour legislation was being neglected. He said the Prime Minister dominated the National Government, which had now become a strengthened Reform Government, and not a National Government at all.

Sir Joseph Ward : Who said that ? Mr. Veitch : I said it.

Sir Joseph Ward Nonsense! Mr. Massey: You do not count. Mr. Veitch said he might not count for much in Parliament, but the opinions lie was expressing counted for a great deal in the country, as the Government would find if it was prepared to face the music. The policy of the Premier had been to discipline Labour, not to protect it. Tl)3 Prime Minister knew nothing of tho workers. He was evidently leaving the whole administration to 1 the head of the Department, who might be a very good man, but he had to administer the Department down to tho conservatism of the Premier, who, Mr. Veitch thought, would often not go ?o far as the Department had gene.

Speaking later on, Mr. Massey stated that wanes had never been higher nor the conditions of Labour better. There would have been more Labour legislation if it had not been for the necessity of giving precedence to legislation arising out ..f war conditions. There was no country in the British Empire which, during the war. had been so free from industrial unrest as this Dominion. Referring to the work if the Arbitration Court. Mr. Massey remarked that he had received a request from the Premier of Queensland to allow the president i f the New Zealand Arbitration Court to adjudicate in a dispute between the Queensland Railway Commissioners and certain railway servants.

'' Mr. C. H. Poole (Aucklan ' West) : It is a great compliment to New Zealand.