PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21136, 19 March 1932, Page 13

PARLIAMENT.

ARBITRATION PROPOSALS

BILL VIRTUALLY PASSED.

PRACTICALLY NO CHANGE.

THIRTY HOURS' BATTLE.

LABOUR FIGHTS IN VAIN.

[by TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER. "| "WELLINGTON. Friday. A battle lasting over 30 hours ended in the House of Representatives at 10.30 to-night when the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill was reported back from Committee and the formal third reading speeches, made for tho benefit of Hansard, were begun. Every, inch of tho way \tas bitterly tontested during the protracted Committee stages and the closure had to be applied on every clause and nearly every amendment. The bill was little altered on its emergence from tho Committee stage. A contentious clause proposing exemption bv Order-in-Council of specified industries from the operation of the principal Act was withdrawn at tho outset of the discussion. Tho only other concession was the deletion of a minor provision in the clauso relating to the reference of disputes to the Arbitration Court. That provision was of a ponal nature and instructed the conciliation commissioner to report that tho council had not reached i settlement if one or other of tho parties failed to appoint assessors. Vital Principle Retained.

On tho vital principle of tho bill, the doctrine of compulsory conciliation and optional arbitration, the Government was immovable and the most violent onslaughts of Labour speakers failed to secure the slightest- concession. It was in connection with that clause that the Labour Partv sought to secure modification in the interests of women workers. The application of the closure on that clause, after a long discussion, precipitated a scene which had its sequel in the suspension of two Labour members, Mr. T. Frascr and Mr. J. A. Lee, for the use of unparliamentary language. At numerous stages of the long-drawn fight unpleasant incidents occurred and the bluntness of the language used by Labour members in condemnation of the Government's policy has scarcely ever before lretn paralleled within the walls of Parliament. Accusations of cowardice were freely made at several stages ?nd at times proceedings were almost out of hand. Various Ministers took vigil on tho right hand of the chairman to relieve the Minister of Labour, the Hon. A. Hamilton, in charge of the bill, but the information vouchsafed, apart from elaborating points in the bill, was strictly non-committal. Case for Women Workers.

Labour renewed its fight on the question of women workers late this afternoon, when Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelsought to add a new clause ensuring that where a dispute occurred in an industry comprising 60 per cent, of women workers, reference should automatically he made to the Arbitration Court if conciliation council proceedings failed. Under the bill, practically all the assessors on both sides have to be in agreement before a dispute can go to the Court. It seemed possible at one stage that the Government might make some concession to meet the Labour representations, but the most the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, would promise was that he would investigate the

points with the possibility that an amend ment to meet, the case might be made when the bill is before tho Legislative Council. After all the clauses had been passed Labour sought to add numerous other clauses, but all were defeated by nearly a two to one majority. There was no doubting the sincerity of many speeches made from the Labour benches, but probably the most impressive came in the dying hours of the fight, when Mr. Walter Nash (Hutt), a man of profound religious convictions and bal anced outlook, reviewed the struggle and prophesied the consequences of the bill*# passage viewed from the Labour angle. Last Labour Appeal.

"There is only one thing left to do now," he declared. "That is, to get out and organise. It is a terribly difficult task, but we have to get together and do it now that they have destroyed the work carefully built up over the past 38 years. I make this last appeal to the Government to abolish the penalties attached to the strike and lock-out. Let us get back to stern and stark individualism. Let men and women stand on their own feet. Let tlrem fight the employers. Ret them get, together and show what they can do. "We have a difficult task ahead. I hope We. will not shirk it," said Mr. Nash. "I do not care for the 56 members on the Government side of the House who have combined to pass this legislation. I believo the principles upon which we have brought this fight are the principles upon which we will fight from now on. Wo will tell the story throughout this Dr> minion and get justice for the workers. It, may mean hardship for us and for them, but we will win through. Man :s greater than a constitution." Fears Warp Judgment.

Speaking on the third reading, Mr. Forbes declared that the bill was brought forward as a result of a definite election pledge. Its main aim was to enable a greater amount of employment to be provided. The Arbitration Act had operated in the direction of bringing about unemployment. He did not say the Labour Parly was not genuine in the fears expressed, but lie believed the Opposition speakers had taken a prejudiced view of the situation. Their fears had warped their judgment. It was necessary to. relax rigid conditions in industry to enable industrialists to face, the position by bringing down costs to meet tiie re duced purchasing power of the people. The third reading speeches were still in progress at'a lale hour.