VICTIMISATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9172, 12 October 1915, Page 7

VICTIMISATION

THE TROUBLE ON THE WHARVES GOVERNMENT DROPS BILL , IN RESPONSE TO.PRESSURE,

An indication that; the ; Arbitration and Conciliation Act Amendment BUI may not bo proceeded with' this session was given in the House of HePJ®kontatives yesterday afternoon' by tne Prime Minister. The' object of; the bill is to prevent the "exploitation :0f ex-strikers on the waterfront at Auckland and Westport. ' , ~ Mr T M. Wilford (Hutt) drew the attention of the Prime Minister to tho fact that he had received communications from various representative La-, hour men in,: Auckland, strongly testing against: recent' alterations in tho bill, which, they claimed, would nullify th© measure. Power would stm bo ’ left with unions to -exclude from membership men of good character. Tho Right Hon. .W. F. Massey said that he had also received a oj the telegrain, and he had also had protests from other parts' of the Dominion. He had been notified that a deputation representing 1200 watersiders was on its way from , Auckland In the circumstances, he thought it would bo better to postpone the measure until early next session, when_ it could* he referred to tho Labour Bills Committee, which would hear full evidence on the question. , Mr' Wilford; ' “Can't we do something now?’’ . .* ■; .*..■■*. - Mr Alassey: “Tho matter is not so easy of solution as - some people seem to think.” Th© matter bad not yet; been before Cabinet, hut ho hoped to bo able to,have it considered by his colleagues in tho. Ministry the same afternoon or next morning. ,