PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21117, 26 February 1932, Page 11

PARLIAMENT.

// START OF BUSINESS.

ADDRESS debate opens.

SPIRIT OF LABOUR.

TO LIMIT.

interjections ALREADY.

TELEGRAP"!. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] "WELLINGTON. Thursday.

'Although Parliament worked only short hours to-day the trail is now being Hazed through traditional preliminaries an d with reasonable assistance from tho Labour Party in curtailing speeches, the session's legislative programme should he reached without the loss of much valuable time. However, it"is by no means assured that Labour will be prepared to compromise in the smallest degree toward 'that end. The Leader of tho pirty, Mr. H. E. Holland, has already indicated that the Opposition will'protest to the limit permitted by the forms of the House against the Government's proposals respecting wage reductions and amendments to the Arbitration 'Act,

A captious spirit was abroad on the Labour benches to-night when the first -"two speeches in the Address-in-Reply de* bate were delivered. Usually, tho mover and seconder in that debate are given an uninterrupted hearing, but a coterie of Labour members interjected persistently on this occasion.

While some relaxation of th« customary rule might be condoned seeing that both speakers, Mr. .A. J. Murdoch and Air. J. Bitchener, are seasoned Parliamentarians, nevertheless tho interjections indicated that Labour members are determined to seek every opportunity to ventilate their view,';. /

• It/ must be said that the Opposition quips, on the whole, befraj-ed no great profundity of thought, but were apparently designed mainly to tickle the ears of groundlings. I Both speakers in the debate suggested fiat as the present is an economy session, economy in speechmaking might appropriately be practised. Accordingly, although both were accorded extensions of jlime, neither took advantage of the courtesy. ' It ii> certain that the number of speakers from the Government benches will be strictly limited, but the indications are tha; almost all of Labour's active contingent, numbering 23, will participate.

| That the Government is ready with g legislation is shown by the fact that the t Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill will be introduced to-morrow morn- ; ing, after which the Addiess-in-Reply debate will be continued. Mr. Holland, who moved the adjournment of the de- | bate to-night, will then probably produce his no-confidence amendment. 5 At a short sitting this afternoon the § House paid tributes to the services of deceased legislators. I TWO PRIVATE BILLS. 6 *1 /• LOTTERIES AND COINAGE. | EXCLUSION FROM PROGRAMME. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] "WELLINGTON. Thursday. The State Lotteries Bill (Mr. G. C. | Black) and the Silver and Copper Coinage Bill (Mr. C. A. Wilkinson) were introduced and read a first time in the House | to-day. The Prime Minister intimated it was ,flot intended to go on with private memSi hers' bills during the present session. . UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM. ' WAR PENSION HOLDERS. I > HARDSHIP ISSUE RAISED. ■| [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. In the Hou:;e of, Representatives to-day, | Mr. C. L. Carr (Labour —Timaru) asked | whether provision would be made for the representation of unemployed workers' | organisations on local unemployment committees. The Minister in Charge of Unemployment, the Ut. Hon. J. G. Coates, replied i| that it was not proposed to make any | alteration at present. I Mr. J. Hargest (Invercargill) asked the I /Minister if he was aware that unemployed returned soldiers throughout the country Who were in receipt of pensions amounting to as low as 10s a week, were deprived of one day's work a week, and k would the Minister make provision that a pension paid to an ex-soldier as compensaI I tion for inju:ry to health should have no v' bearing upon his earnings. Mr. Hargest added, even admitting an ex-soldier's penis sion should be balanced against his earnings, a pensioner in receipt of 10s a week was worse off than his fellow-workers with no war service, p , Mr. Coates. said the matter was under | immediate consideration. I / GOOD WORK AT ELLEKSLIE. I SCHEME OF IMPROVEMENTS. | ' _ Satisfactory results are being achieved g tinder the No. 5 unemployment relief Yj scheme by the Ellerslie Town Board, v/hicli is effecting remarkable improve- ? Hents in the district. The work includes road formation, kerbing and channelling | and improvements to the recreation area. | " The No. 5 scliemo has enabled the 'H, board to carry out important work which ')i °therwise would have been impossible," said the chairman, Mr. A. Milliken, yesterday. •' Although the question of cost |j-- of - materials and other overhead expenses seems to be a bugbear with many local pi bodies, my board has found it possible 3 J® keep these expenses at a low figure : y judicious management." |j ' At present about 110 men are em--3 at Ellerslie under the scheme. 1 TP*' le ,;o " n P e| 'ation of the Ellerslie Welfare League r. boot pool has been ®stablishecJ, and unemployed men may have hoots and shoes repaired for the §f s? re cost of the materials, about 2s 6d. | the inception of the scheme, in !? February of last year, over three miles gj °f kerbing and channelling has been carried out in 15 streets. So far £8231 j| «as been paid in wages. | : Procession through streets. CAMP SCHEME OPPOSED. I i About 2COO men and women marched n a demonstration of unemployed through w vueen Street last, evening. "The crowd Mi s as addressed by several speakers in g VUay Street and the procession then jjjj_ up Queen Street to the Town Hall, further addresses were given. A §} ,e ®olution protesting against the camp 1 scheme was passed. The procession I to wched back to Quay where tho j| ttowd dispersed.: