EXPEDITING WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20375, 2 October 1929, Page 13

EXPEDITING WORK.

LENGTH OF THE SESSION.

MAY END THIS MONTH. SITTINGS ON MONDAYS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTEK.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Hopes that the business of the session would bo completed by tho end of this month wero expressed by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, in the llouso this evening. The House had granted urgency to the passage of nine classes of Estimates, but the question aroso later whether the Prime Minister was not departing from tho usual practice in bringing forward Estimate items, the reports concerning which had not been considered by the House. Tho Prime Minister claimed that lie was not departing from custom, but agreed to postpono consideration of tho Education and Scientific and Industrial Research Votes to enable the House to rise at the usual hour. Tho Prime Minister said progress on tho Estimates had been slow. Twenty-six classes had at that stago been passed, leaving 35 to bo disposed of. Tho timo was arriving when tho business of tho session would havo to bo expedited. A Member: Have wo not another six weeks to go ? Tho Prime Minister: You can mako it six months if you like, but Ihero is no need for it. If wo get tho Estimates out of tho way we will be ablo to regulato our business to bring Iho session to a close by the end of October. Admitting that the programme mapped out by tho Primo Minister for tho night was not unreasonable, tho Leader of the Oj position, Mr. Coatcs, said bo did not think it possible to put tho Estimates through under tho new Standing Orders. Ho did not seo why discussion should bo curtailed if members wished lo debate a particular point. It had been the practice in the. past not to deal with the Estimates until tho relevant report had been considered. "I am concerned about (he danger of a completo breakdown of tho new Standing Orders," said the Leader of tho Labour Tarty, Mr. H. E. Holland. "1 do not think there is tho least need of it. If a mutual arrangement wore como to between tho threo parlies without restricting tho individual rights of members we could obviate any breakdown. During the last week or so there has been a grave danger of the complete breakdown of tho Standing Orders." The Prime Minister intimated that he was willing to confer with Mr. Coatcs and Mr. Holland before fixing tho Estimate items, with a view to expediting the business. A further indication of the Government's desiro to expedito the work of Parliament was given when the Prune Minister gave notice that to-morrow he would move that for tho remainder of the session the House should sit on Mondays.

EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTHS. apprenticeship problem. OPPORTUNITY ON THE LAND. [BY TELEGRAPH. —I'RESS ASSOCIATION. J WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Whrn the Estimates for tlin Department of Labour were considered in tho House this evening Mr. D. Jones (Reform— Mid Canterbury) emphasised the importance of training boys for trades, and urged that the whole question oI apprenticeship should be investigated. Tho Lender of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, pointed out that at the present time Jess than 50 per cent, of the number of apprentices allowed by law were employed in New Zealand. Labour members urged that tho whole department should be reorganised. The Minister of Labour, Hon. W. A. Veitch, stated he had como to tho conclusion some time ago that it would be necessary to tho labour laws and the Labour Department to some extent, because, particularly sinco tho war, economic and general conditions had changed rapidly. Fresh industries were constantly springing up, with a consequent increase in employment in secondary industries. He insisted, however, that tho departmental staff had been carrying out its duties in a thoroughly conscientious way. Tne Minister said the apprenticeship problem was a complex one. There was a widespread desire 011 tho part of parents to get their sons into a trade without an equal desire on the part of employers to engago them as apprentices. Valuable light had been thrown on the subject by the apprenticeship conference. He added that an opportunity would be provided for tho employment of a large number of young men on the land, not as apprentices, but as free workers.