YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21612, 6 April 1932, Page 8

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS

I , LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL \f j f from Press Association Telegram.) | ' WELLINGTON, April 5. \ The work of the General Assembly was ! Resumed to-day after the Easter recess. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. \ SUPERANNUATION FUNDS. I Replying to Sir James Allen, who asked a question as to the work of the ; committee set up to consider the super- ■ annuation funds, the Minister of Education (Mr R. Masters) said that the matters which were referred to the committee dealt principally with the adjustment of anomalies existing between the various funds. A review of the representations which were made showed that the adjustment referred to would involve ;• additional expenditure, a course which ; could not be favourably considered at the

present time. These matters, however, ; were really only subordinate to the question of the financial stability of the ! funds, a matter which had caused grave : concern to the Government. The National | Expenditure Commission had made certain investigations into the position and it was hoped that the commission would be able to advise the Government as to a fair and equitable method of enabling the funds to attain a degree of financial solvency. The adjustment of anomalies and the improvement of the financial position of the funds were so interwoven with the general finances of the country that it was proposed to defer action pending consideration by the Government of the report of the National Expenditure Commission. ARBITRATION BILL.

Moving the second reading of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration .Amendment Bill the Leader of the Council (Sir James Parr) said he did not propose to send the Bill to a select committee. The provisions of the Bill had been exhaustively discussed both inside and outside Parliament and all that could be said had been said both on the part of the employers and the employees. The amendment was a drastic one. The note stressed by the Bill was one of conciliation and goodwill. Conciliation councils in the past had been regarded more as channels to the court, and he was afraid that every effort had not been made to settle disputes in the councils. The Government proposed to make an important concession to women workers, for whom a minimum wage would be secured. Women would have the right to approach the court and ask that the minimum wage should be fixed. This concession would apply solely to wages and not to hours and general conditions. Sir James agreed that there was room for disagreement over the provisions of the Bill, but there was no doubt that the Act was proving a drag on industry and was delaying the general recovery. The Act was hindering the employment of thousands of men. It wag significant that no other country but Australia had followed New Zealand’s example, and the workers in England and America had always opposed compulsory arbitration. Mr M. Fagan moved an amendment that the Bill should be read a second time that day six months’ hence. He believed the Bill was unnecessary, dangerous,, and unfair. He was not opposing the Bill as a trades’ unionist but as a citizen concerned for the welfare of the country. The co-operation of all classes was needed at the present time, and they could not afford to risk industrial disturbances. A strike under the present conditions would he a greater menace than the 1913 up-, heaval. They were making strike the workers’ only weapon against reductions in wages. He did not see how the abolition .of the compulsory clause of the Act would assist the farmer. He had yet to meet a farmer who had heen driven off liia land as a result of the operation of the Act. He did not believe the Bill would result in one additional man being given employment. Mr C. J. Carrington seconded the amendment, and the debate was adjourned. The Council rose at 4.45 p.m. until tomorrow.