THE COMING SESSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20598, 24 June 1930, Page 11

THE COMING SESSION.

EABOTTR LEADER'S VIEWS.

SOME INTERESTING TOPICS.

UNEMPLOYMENT legislation.

reduction of wages opfosed

[;BY ISI.EGR.VPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] WESTrORT. Monday

In the course of a pre-sessional address jliis evening, Mt- H. E. Holland, Leader pi the Labour Party, said that the forthcoming Parliamentary session promised to one of the most interesting in the fcjstorv of the Dominion by reason of the position cf the three parlies and the ■j questions that, would be involved. Mr. Holland recalled the statement of policy handed to the press after the gpecial meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party held in February last and said that while there would of necessity jj 9 a general atmosphere of uncertainty over practically every stage of the session, there would be' nothing uncertain about evrrv point of thai statement being pressed to its logical conclusion. One cf the mam'questions that would v>e before Parliament, would be that of unemployment and provision for permanently handling the problem. The day for temporary methods had gone and a " basis for action along effective lines was provided in the. report of the Unemployment Committee set. up under Sir Joseph ■Ward's administration. It was of very great significance that the committee, which included representatives of emplovers and wage workers, should have » come to the unanimous decision that the solution of the problem of unemployment was social responsibility, to be shouldered by she Dominion as a whole. Sound Principle Recognised No sounder principle had ever been written into a report, of a Select Committee or Royal Commission. Equallv sound was this committee's recognition of the fact that the finding of work was of first and supreme importance, and this was supplemented and strengthened bv tho declaration that the work to be provided for the relief of the workless must be of a useful and productive character and that standard waces should be paid fur all such work. Other valuable portions of the report were recommendations that a permanent employment board should be set up and that- where no work was available, sustenance allowance Should be provided. 'these proposals were in line with the principles advocated by the Labour Party for many years, said Mr. Holland, but it was when they came to the incidence of the proposed taxation that differences would be found to exist. The proposed fiat rate tax on persons 18 vears cf age and over was to provide £505.000 cut of a total cf £700.C00. and it went without saying that the overwheiminglv major portion of this would be paid bv persons wfth small incomes. The man with £SOCO ,a, year would only pay his 24 shillings' ' a year along with the worker whose income might not reach anything like £2GO a year. It was true persons with incomes in excess of £"0 were to pay an additional tax of one penny in the pound, but here again the man with an e.normous income would only pay at the same flat rate ner pound as the man with a small income. The principle of graduated taxation, for which the labour movement stood, was preferable. However, notwithstanding the taxation defect, the report was a most valuable one and the Labour Party would press for lecisldiion based upon the principles embodied in the committee's re- / commendations. Railway ; Commission Personnel. P.eferrinc, to the railway inquiry, Mr. Holland -said that representatives of organisations of railway employees should have been included in the personnel of the commission. Men who were conversant with the inside working of the system and who knew both its advantages and its defects, to say the least, would not be 4ess capable; of making useful recommendations' than some of the gentlemen who had been appointed. The Labour Party would resist any further attack on wages and conditions of public servants and would also offer op- ■ position t•>' any attempt to apply the guillotine to the education vote or to any interference with hospital subsidies that would handicap those engaged in hospital work throughout the Dominion. When the Hoirse met the Labour Party would press for the fullest, investigation in regard to Arapuni and would insist en ever." fact in relation to that scheme being made public. It seemed to him that not only the Public Works Department. but th a Reform Government and its Minister of Public Works responsible i< r the undertaking, had much to exP i;lin " „ The condiffie.ns oi employment on various public works ot the Dominion, and especially on relief work jobs, would be raised bv- the party with a view to securing a reversal of some features of policy adopted bv the late Minister of Puohe JV-;rks. ECONOMY AND TAXATION. 11EFORM MEMBER'S VIEW. ' Interviewed on his, way to W ellingion this evening for the opening of Parlia- . merit on Thursday. Mr. C. K. MaoItalian. Reform member of Parliament for Taitranga. predicted that there would be a confh- t. during the session b»e ween members of Parliament who desired economy -n administration and those who C- •• -I inciya-ed taxation. "it is difficult," said Mr. Maemillan. " to foreea-a, the atti?tide of the Govern, menr. 'o these, two vital m-ii;< :-. f '<"nsideraWe interest will bo taken in -any statement out the manner in which has been extended. as it is the desire of the Prime Minister to he '(<f■ -• 1 o' at 'he tie.\t Imperial Confer"!!'e./ As Mr. K'-rbf's is personcar to assure M.-. Forbes' presence at the conference. r: of Parliament will fcoar • which, presumably, will be availTSE UNITED PARTY. HON. J. ITEVETHICK HONOURED. A l-nient.irv funeii.in to the Hon. J '1 rewthmk. to mark his appointment to ■ Legisiutive Council was tendered lard i ! : ov:::r::il Executive of the United P..'. .: Uig.inisation. The chairman. Mr r if. Barbush. presided. M'r 13r"'': 'referred' to the lonu li.' ■..,'■■ rendered by Mr. Tre vet hick re, -i iiu'eoi/er ~i tho Auckland City Counc:r ,i: a uomh; of tlio Auckland Savm_*; Ilank. and as chairman of the Auckland S.iilcuV Hume Council. He, aiso roferre.i v Mr. Trevethick's I. ug and valued Service as a member of various Liberal oi .no:sai loos ami as a member of tiie Cod P.irtv since its formation. i !,•> lion. .J. B. Donald, PostrnastorGer.a'ral • '.Mr. lb C. Maims, M.P for I: ■■■;-::!!: Mr ,T. Rea, Mr. T. Michaels a.r:.] Mr. C. Clarke, chairman of the Jani'.r Organisation, supported tlio toast. Mr. Tievethick suitably replied.