BILL APPROVED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22893, 23 November 1937, Page 13

BILL APPROVED

OPPOSITION VIEWS COMMENTS BY MR. BODKIN EXCEPTION TO ONE CLAUSE L«V TELEGIIAPH —SPECIAL IIEPOHTEIt] WELLINGTON, Monday General approval of tho.stops to be taken in tlie Coal Alines Amendment Bill lor improving conditions in the mining industry was expressed by Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Opposition—Central Otago) during the debate on the bill in the House of .Representatives today. His viewpoint was supported by other Opposition speakers. The proposal for computing tho wages of miners on the amount of coal produced was commended by Air. Bodkin, who said that such a system should have the effect of removing a considerable source of trouble. The miner was entitled to a fair remuneration for his labour, but the mine owners were also entitled to a fair return of labour. Information About Earnings "I dislike the provisions which will enable a union secretary to obtain from a coinpauv details of a minor's earnings," said Mr. Bodkin. "It is reasonable that information on these lines should be made available to tho Alines Department, but when it comes to a union official it is a different matter. "Information of that sort should bo regarded as confidential to tho worker himself and the onus should bo on the worker to provide his union with any information which it may require. If information regarding a man's earn-

ings is to be used by a union for the recovery of debt very grave objections could be taken to this particular provision in tho bill."

Air. Bodkin supported the clauses in tho bill designed to promote a greater measure of safety in underground working conditions. Methods for ensuring safety should bo made as perfect as possible, 110 said. The man who worked underground earned every penny of his wages, no matter how largo they were, and it was only fair that all possible stops should be taken to seo that his life was not endangered. Some Difficulty Anticipated

Some difficulty was seen by Air. Bodkin in tho clause empowering the Alinister to arrange for tlio grant of travelling expenses to men living some distance from tho mines where they were employed. In effect, he said, that would be tantamount to destroying the terms and conditions of existing awards and might be taken b} 7 miners as an encouragement to live further away from the mines.

"Taken as a whole the bill has many good points," Mr. Bodkin concluded. "The new conditions laid down to govern the coalmining industry and particularly the employment of labour should represent a definite improvement on the existing state of affairs." Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition— Waitomo) and the Leader of the Opposition. the Hon. A. Hamilton, both congratulated the Minister on putting into statutory form requirements which had been found necessary after roundtable conferences between all the parties concerned.

During the committee stage there was a momentary discussion 011 the short title, but the remaining clauses were approved without a word of argument from the Opposition benches.

The bill was immediately read a third time and passed without amendment.

ATTITUDE OF MINERS

MR. ENDEAN'S OPINION SCOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT [by TELECKArn—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Monday The opinion that owners of coalmines did not receive from the miners the co-operation they were entitled to expect was expressed by Mr. \Y. P. Eiulcan (Opposition—Parnell) during the debate on the Coalmines Amendment Bill in the House to-day.

"There is certainly scope for improvement," Mr. Endean said. "I know the Minister is anxious to see the best possible relationship between workers and employers, and I hope he will be able to do something more toward this end." Mr. Endean asked the Minister if there had been any developments in iNew Zealand concerning the extraction of petrol from coal. "Sooner or later," he said, "the ingenuity of man will solve the difficulty of countries such as New Zealand where there is no natural flow of petrol tliat wo know of." Appreciation of the manner in which the Hon. P. G. Webb had administered the Mines portfolio was expressed by Mr. Endean, who said the Minister combined great practical experience with the ability to see more than one side of an argument.