THE PAINTING INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20981, 18 September 1931, Page 11

THE PAINTING INDUSTRY.

USE OF WHITE LEAD. DANGER TO HEALTH ALLEGED. [BT nXEGBAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Labour Bills Committee reported on the Painters and Decorators' Health Protection Bill (Mr. W. J. Jordan) in House of Bepresentatives this evening. The s comrnittee recommended that as existing' legislation afforded adequate health protection, the bill should not be allowed to proceed. / Mr. Jordan contended thz'j the existing regulations tfere not effective and were often ignored. The bill had been introduced at the request of the workers. The Hon. S. G. Smith, Minister of Labour, said there had been no evidence to show that the existing regulations were ineffective or ignored. He was satisfied the officers of his department were carrying out their duties faithfully. He was aware that bill was favoured by the Master Painters' Federation, but protests against it had been received from others in the industi-v. Mr. C. L. C'arr (Labour —Tiniaru) said be regretted the use of white lead was not prohibited as was proposed by the bill. White lead should not be employed in the industry because of its poisonous properties. _ He thought it was now generally agreed that zinc white constituted a satisfactory substitute. Messrs. E. J. Howard (Labour —Christphurch South) and D. G. Sullivan (Labour—Avon) also protested against the committee's recommendation. They stated that the International Labour Conference had recommended that the use of Tirhite lead should be prohibited. Air. Sullivan moved as an amendment that ihe report should be referred back to the committee for reconsideration. ■Mr. YV. Nash (Labour —Hutt) referred to the dangers of " dry rubbing down," Vhich the bill also sought to prohibit. Other Labour members supported the amendment. The Minister said he believed il every painter carried out the existing regulations faithfully, the risk would be reduced to a minimum. lie agreed that J f the supporters of the bill could produce new evid'ence that would contradict the >'iew expressed by the committee, there be a good re.i.-on for the report to be referred back for reconsideration. Mr. Sullivan's amendment was adopted on the voices. Reporting on the Painters and Decorators' Registration Bill (Mr. W. ,1. Jor " an )» the same committee recommended that in view of its restrictive provisions Without commensurate, benefit to the general public, the bill should not be allowed to proceed