LEISURELY PACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22429, 27 May 1936, Page 15

LEISURELY PACE

TRANSPORT control PROTRACTED DEBATE UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT LATE SITTING OF HOUSE [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Jn spite of a late sitting a somewhat leisurely pace was set by the House of Representatives when it resumed to-day, after the week-end recess. An unusually protracted third reading debate 011 the Transport Licensing Amendment Bill continued into the evening sitting and, consequently, 110 great progress was made with the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, the only other major bill at present on the order paper. Formal business was at a minimum when the House met this afternoon, but the Factories Amendment Bill was reported back from tho Legislative Council with amendments. The alterations in the measure were explained by the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, and tho bill, as amended, -p-as subsequently approved by the House. The outstanding feature of the Transport Bill debate was the criticism of ft Government bill by a Government member, Mr. C. H. Burnett (Tauranga), who was emphatic in his declaration that it was wrong in principle for the Minister of Transport to be the finaj Court of Appeal in transport licensing disputes. Possibly Mr. Burnett's unexpected criticism may have had some effect in prolonging a debate which is generally regarded as a formality. At any rate, it stung Opposition members into life, and before the Minister of Transport, Hon. R. Seniple, 'rose to reply, two other members of the Cabinet, the Minister of Railways, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and the Minister of Justice, Hon. H. G. E. Mason, rose in support of the Government. /- The third reading was finally carried on the voices and subsequently the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, who was acting as leader of the House, uttered a. mild protest at the progress of the debate beyond an agreed time limit. t The House then proceeded immediately to the second reading of tho Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, which was moved by Mr. Armstrong. The case for the Opposition was opened hy Mr. S. G. Holland (Christchureh North). Five speakers took part in the debate before the' House adjourned at 11.40 p.m.

NEW FACTORY LAW FINAL STAGE OF BILL AMENDMENTS EXPLAINED [BY TELEGKAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Amendments made by the Legislative Council to the Factories Amendment Bill were reported to the House of Representatives to-day, and after tiley had been explained by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong/'thoy were accepted by the House without comment. Mr. Armstrong said the bill would now come into force on July 1, instead . of June 1, with the exception of the clauses dealing with the 40-hour week and the eight-hour day, the operation of .which would be postponed until September 1. These delays had been requested by,; employers and by business people generally and would permit of necessary adjustments being made before the legislation came into effect. An amendment had also been mado dealing with compulsory payment for Christmas, New Year and Easter holidays, the Minister continued. The bill had originally provided that anyone employed during the fortnight preceding any of these holidays would have to receive holiday pay. It had been pointed out that a man might be dismissed by one employer a few clays before a holiday and then receive work from another employer, who would be bound to pay him for the holiday. As the clause now stood, proportionate payments would have to be made by the various employers if two or more were concerned and if no agreement had previously been reached between them. « The bill had also been amended so that in dairy factories or creameries employing not more than two workers trose workers could be employed on a statutory holiday, provided that they were given two whole holidays as compensation within a month of the close of the season.

An amendment to the clause dealing *rith Sunday work in factories provided that where workers were customarily employed on Sundays, as, for instance, m gas works, cement works, electrical tforks and the like, they would receive an extra day's payment for Sunday work in addition to their weekly that Sunday work would have to be paid for at double time on top of ordinary time. A further amendment, Mr. Armstrong added, excluded wool dumping factories and low-temperature coal carbonisation factories from the provisions of the bill dealing with restrictions of flours. All that would happen was that workers in these factories, in addition to others mentioned in the principal Act, would be subject to the six-dav week