YOUNG WORKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22431, 29 May 1936, Page 12

YOUNG WORKERS

REPORTED DISMISSALS CHARGES BY MINISTER THREAT OF DRASTIC ACTION [hy telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Thursday The Shops and Offices Amendment Bill was passed through its remaining stages in the House of Representatives to-day and paused. When the House adjourned last night the Committee stage was still in progress, but it was completed fairly expeditiously this afternoon, the only feature of importance being a charge by the Minister of Labourj Hon. H. T. Armstrong, that some members of the Opposition were deliberately holding up the passage of the bill in the interests of a class of unscrupulous employers. For more than an hour members of the Opposition had been trying strenuously to persuade the Government to drop the clause in the bill which states that in determining the rate of payment to employees all previous terms of em-, ployment must bo taken into account. The general view of tho Opposition was that tho clause would prevent the employment of youths anxious to leave one occupation and start in another for which they wero better suited. Complaints by Parents Mr. Armstrong replied that all over the Dominion at present employers wero taking on boys and girls ab tho minimum rate, employing them for a year, dismissing them and then reengaging them at the minimum rat# l again. That was what the employer?" were engineering for at tho moment in seoking tho exclusion of the clause under discission. "I have been inundated! with letters from tho parents of boys and girls stating that as soon as tho young workers are entitled, bocauso of their service, to a decent wage, they are being discharged and re-engaged at tho minimum wage," the Minister stated. "That is happening all over the country. I have a report from an officer of my department which indicates that a certain firm has sacked 16 of its employees, giving notico of cancellation of their employment and,telling them that they would be taken on again temporarily and probably re-engaged later permanently." Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Opposition—l'iccarton): Wo told you that would happen. The Minister: Yes, and you people are holding up this legislation until employers can get away with this sort of thing. An Alleged Conspiracy "This employer has given as a reason the fact that reorganisation is necessary and has stated that he hopes later to be ablo to confirm the appointments," added Mr. Armstrong. "This is tho typo of employer who is being defended by the Opposition. The Opposition wants to place in' his hands a weapon he has never had before. Members of the Opposition know that some of their nuniDor are acting under instructions to hold up this legislation whilo this dirty work is proceeding. "I know nil about tho conspiracy which is going on between some of tho leading lights in tho legal profession, for instance, who are busy advising the employers and organisations «uch as guilds of workers how to act to get outside this law. But if these people get away with it at the moment *•0 will bring down legislation nnd wo will make it retrospective, which will them comply with the law. An Opposition Member: You aro getting. a threatener now, "Like a Ton o! Bricks" Tho Minister: Yes, it is a threat, and [ mean it. J. am going to see that this legislation is respected and I am going to come down like a ton of bricks on anj'one who tries to got away from it "I am inclined to think that these schemers outside the House have some people inside tho House working for them," Mr. Armstrong continued. " I venture to suggest that tho leaders know nothing about it. The party ♦Headers would not stand for that sorb of thing. 1 suggest we should be civen a reasonable chance of getting this legislation on the Statute Book. This particular clause is a safeguard for tho worker, and one that is needed to prevent what is happening to-day. If this bill does not go through in its present form another one will come flown which will bo made more drastic still." Five members of tho Opposition jumped to their feet simultaneously when tho Minister had concluded. Denials by Opposition . Mr. H. G. Dickie (Patea) said it wag not human nature for employers to act in "the way that had been suggested, and denied that the Opposition had acted on instructions. Mr. Jl. A. Wright (Independent— Wellington Suburbs) took exception to tho Minister stating that tho bill had boon held up and quoted tho uso of tho closure as a remedy which lay in the hands of the Government. Mr. 8- G. Holland (Opposition— Christchurch North) challenged tho Minister to prove that the Opposition was acting on instructions to hold the bill up. Mr. Kyle mado a similar denial. Mr. H. Atmore (Independent—Nelson) and Mr. S. Richards (Government —Roskill) asserted that firms in many parts of New Zealand had given their employees notico similar to the case quoted by the Ministor. The clause in question was finally passed without a division. Tso rest of the committee discussion was comparatively lifeless. All the amendments circulated by the Minister and published this morning were adopted and ? in addition, Mr. Armstrong promised to consider several points mado by the Opposition with n view to having the bill altered beforo it was passed by the Legislative Council. '

The third reading; was brief. Mr. Holland and Mr. Armstrong were the only speakers, and no new ground was broken. The bill was finally read a. third time and passed shortly after fivo o'clock, having gone through all its stag«s without a single division.