PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 11

PARLIAMENT.

[THE ARBITRATION BILL. SECOND READING DEBATE. LABOUR AMENDMENT. REDRAFTING TROTOSED. SPEECHES LOSE VIGOUR. fUY TELEGRAriT. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] "WELLINGTON. Monday. Labour's demonstration against the proposals contained in tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Rill appears to have grown milder as the debate on tho measure proceeds. -The Government's effort to introduce the bill resulted in a two days' stonewall bv the Opposition and some of tho earlv second reading speeches by Labour members were pitched in a highly indignant key. By,contrast, the debate was continued to-night in an atmosphere of almost funereal quiet, lightened at times by occasional laughs as random shafts of hun.iour were unloosed. Monday sittings were inaugurated for the first time to-day, but the nouso was not required to meet until 7.30 p.m. and the chamber was sparsely filled, tho attendance never exceeding 40. Tho remaining members will return from weekend visits to their homes to-morrow. No Haste With Business.

In spite of. earlier calls for faster progress, the Government is obviously in no haste to. expedite business. The first speakers this evening were Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of tho Opposition, and the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister in Charge of Unemployment. Both were granted tho courtesy of extended time, a concession which is usually given to party leaders -,and Ministers with particular interest in tho bill before the House.

There was some surprise, however, when the Prime Minister himself moved an extension for Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour— Christchurch South) in order to give him an opportunity to read out the contents of balance-sheets of several farmers.

Mr. Holland, who spoke for tlnecquarters of an hour, made an interesting survey of the history of arbitration in New Zealand, and described the fight on the present bill as another phase in the long series of conflicts between capital and labour. He alleged the bill was inspired by the Employers' Federation, an assertion later vigorously denied by Mr. Coates. Labour Movement's Division.

Mr. Holland, of course, had to admit that ati different times the Labour movement had been widely divided on the compulsory arbitration principle, but he made no apology for past actions, seeking to justify them in the light of the. circumstances then prevailing. , The central point made by Mr. Coates in a speech which matched that of Mr. Holland for length, was that the proposals in tho measure would enable readjustments to be made much more quickly than could be effected by the Arbitration Court. "It has been said there is a prospect that an unscrupulous employer will dominate the position under the system proposed," said Mr. Coates. "I can say on behalf of the Government that if by chance that occurs and unwholesome conditions do creep in, it will not take us long to rectify that."

For that reason, Mr. Coates made a strong plea for tho retention of clauso two, which seeks to give power to exempt specified industries by Order-in-Council from the operations of the Arbitration Act. If abuses did creep in, he argued some right should be given the Crown to impose a check. Appearance of Amendment.

A new turn was given to the debate after suppor by Mr. J. McCombs (Labour ■—Lyttelton) who produced the anticipated Labour amendment. A long list of reasons was cited in support of the proposal that the bill should be referred back to the Government to be redrafted to preserve what was described as the essential feature of the Dominion's industrial law, namely, the settlement of disputes by compulsory arbitration where settlement was not reached by conciliation or agreement.

Any prospect of a division being reached on the amendment and the second reading vanished when, on Mr. J. A. Nash's motion, Mr. P. Fraser's time was extended. Consequently, Mr. Fraser continued speaking until the midnight hour for the adjournment arrived.

There was an indication that the move Was prearranged to-allow members return-to-morrow to record their votes. The fii laiigement was particularly suitable to the Labour Party, which had only nine members present at th e conclusion of the sitting.

It is anticipated that the division on the second reading will take place tomorrow.

SIZE OF PARLIAMENT. Reduction favoured. TRAVEL NOW EASIER. In proposing drastic ruts in many items of the annual appropriation for the legislative Department, tlio National Expenditure Commission suggests that a reduction in the size of both Houses of •Parliament should be considered. Hie commission points out that if the ratio of members of Parliament to population wore as high in Great Britain as Jn New Zealand, the British House of -Commons would have well over 2000 members instead of less than a third of that lumber. " We do not suggest that so drastic a 'eduction as one jased on those figures "Would he possible in New Zealand, but We feel that the membership might well "e reduced," the report continues. "In recent years there has been a marked improvement in transport, and members can u nder present conditions travel with theater freedom and rapidity through their electorates than they could some J'ears ago. This leads to the conclusion "'at in quite a number of cases the size —of electorates might be increased. We Accordingly reoommend the matter for consideration. , " are also of the opinion that a reduction in the number of members in the House of Representatives should be ollowed by reduction in the membership Legislative Council."