PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11985, 27 February 1932, Page 5

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

ARBITRATION SVSTEM UPHEAVAL HINTED AT. Electric Telegraph—Teresa Association \YEDDINGTON, East Night. In the House of Representatives this morning, the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill was lilt induced by GovernorGenerals message. ' Ah- P. Eraser (Labour, Wellington Central) said that, if all the rumours relating to this measure were' correct, it was apparent that the Govf eminent intended to destroy the whole fabric of the arbitration system. Apparently the proposal wu«, that there. should he no application to the Arbitration Court for the settlement, of a dispute unless there fSt was a general agreement among the A ■ parties. Workers would be left at the mercy of employers. The Government should not imagine that the spirit of the workers in New Zealand was broken. If driven to< desperation, . they would fight. The Government ' would be guiilty of festering and creating class war of the worst possible description. In his opinion, Air Fraser added, the whole object of the Bill was to bring about a. reduction or wages and consequently a reduction of the consumer's capital. The country was already undergoing increased suffering as a result of the previous reduction of consumer capital. He be- } lieved that the passage of the Bill would lie the death blow to the State Advances Department. The workers would no longer he able; to hope to carry out their obligations, and the security would fall back on the State. It would be the same with, all other securities. Mr W. K. Parry (Dab., Auckland Central) alleged that the measure had been introduced because the bargaining power of the workers had , been weakened as a result of the unemployment. The Government would not hate dared to introduce the Bill if there had been no unemployment m New Zealand. “RIOT AND REVODUTIQN.” Ah I). G. Sullivan (Dab., Avon; said that when one considered what I an industrial upheaval would mean at the present tune, it was perfectly apparent that no responsible Government should bring down a measure ol this knsd Air Sullivan, declared that the passage of the Bill would ..provoke the very conditions from which r et and revolution were likely to develop. Air J. McCombs (Dab.. Lyttelton) asserted that the Liberals in the present Government had ‘out-Toried’ the greatest Tory that New Zealand ' had ever seen. Representatives had informed the Inter-party Committee that the ten per cent, reduction in wages had been of no' value to them ; that on the' contrary, by reducing the workers’ purchasing power, it had injured their business. Further ■wage reductions, Air McCombs said, tve*d'i create more disastrous results. Ali% I). \Y. Coleman (Gisborne) made his maiden speech in opposition to the Bill. He said it was at a time like the present when the Arbitration system was given an opportunity * to be ol material benefit, He, had frequently been confronted by a statement from employers’ representatives in Conciliation Council proceedings that they were instructed not to discuss certain questions. Under the existing system workers in such circumstances had recourse to the Arbitration Court, but if a system of voluntary arbitration was introduced t they would no longer have to- take the" opportunity. He believed that the reason there had been so many settlements in the Conciliation. Council in the past was because both parties knew that in the event of failure to agree they would have to accept the judgment of the Court. Another maiden speech was made by Mr A. B. Richards (Roskill) who said he could only conclude, that the Bill was designed to lower the workers’ standard of living. This would f have a disastrous effect on the commercial community as well as causing suffering among the workers. LABOUR FORCES CLOSURE. The Labour opposition, to the introduction of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill continued throughout the afternoon sitting. At 2.40 p.m. the Prime Minister said he thought it time the . Opposition allowed the House to go into the committee) stage to enable the Bill to be printed. The Government's object in introducing the Dill to-day was to enable the contents to be made known by the week-end so that those interested would have sufficient time to study the legislation and make any representations they desired before the Bill was furthei considered by the House. The Labour party should give trade unions suf- * ficient time to make representations and the Government would be prepared to accept any reasonable amendment to the Bill. The leader of the Opposition said at present his parity was free from a closure, hut next week it would not be iree from that weapon. The Government had only itself to blame . S«r the delay at th e present stage. > The Labour party was pledged*to oppose the measure and it was apparent tins would lie the only opportunity freely to do so. Mr H. 1 Armstrong said it was no use contending the Bill was necessitated by the depression because the original Act had been passed at a time of depression, ft was decided to protec t workers from a section of employers which had taken advantago of the depression to impose unfair conditions on the workers. He considcirpd the Government. would liave been more honest had it proposed a straight out repeal of "the Act because the Bill before die House would have the same effect. Messrs Schramm and .Jones also made maiden speeches in opposition ► to the Bill. The former said there [were no undesirable restiictroils in, the Industrial Conciliation, i.nd Arbitration Act. Power was provided for granting any relief necessary for an industry.

Air Jones alleged the New Zealand Employers’ Federation had exercised its influence in conciliation proceedings. He believed that if many employers were left alone they would agree to reasonable terms. ADJOURNMENT OPPOSED.

When the time for the rising, of the House arrived at 5.30, Hon. Forbes moved an adjournment till 10.30 a.in. to-morrow. Labour members questioned whether the motion was in order, but the Speaker ruled this was so. Mr Fraser submitted that the Governor-General’s message introducing the Bill was capable of very minute examination in committee and he did not anticipate to-mor-row would provide nearly enough time.

Hon. Forbes: If we can’t get it done to-morrow there is Alondav. Air Fraser suggested Monday also might be occupied without any further progress beiim- made. Mr 1 ,ee contended that in view of the Prime Minister’s expressed intention to introduce the closure, no member had been unreasonable in taking his full fifteen minutes to express opposition to the Bill. Mr D. G. Sullivan suggested that the Prime Minister would be guilty of an exhibition of petty, vindictive bad temper if he insisted on the motion.

Mr AY. J. Jordan: You’re coaxing him now. Continuing, Mr Sullivan said Hon. Forbes knew members had engagements in their own constituencies to-morrow and lie proposed to punish them because Labour speakers had exercised their constitutional rights in a matter of vital importance. He urged the Prime Alinister to live lip to the standard of sportsmanship and manliness that that had been set in the past. NO QUARTER. EXPECTED.

Mr W. E. Parry said he supported the motion because lie expected no quarter from the Prime Alinister who could expect no quarter from him (Air Parry). He did not think Hon. Forbes Would get any furthei with the Bill by sitting to-morrow because there were many joints at which it could he held up. Hon. .1 G. Coates said he could not recall any instance when a Bill had hee l delayed so long on its introduction. Air Dee: But on this occasion the ■closure is threatened. Hoq. Coates suggested that the preliminary stages of "Che Bill should be permitted to go through immediately to enable members to have to-morrow free. LABOUR DETERMINED TO FIGHT. The Leader of the Opposition said lie was sorry Hon. Forbes had taken up a petty attitude because no one could claim the debate on the Bill had been waste time. If the Prime Alin ister’s motion was an indication of the tactics he intended to pursue he need not be surprised if be found thousands of working men storming around the doors of Parliament Buildings. Such a development would be the direct result of the line of action he was taking, Alt Holland assured Hon. Forbes that the Labour Party would employ every power of opposition that the form* o ftlie House permitted, to defeat the legislation now proposed. Labour members continued to discuss the motion until it became apparent at 6.45 p.m. that there were only a few Government members in tbe Chamber. A group of Labour members thereupon hurriedly left . and oil Mr Jordan’s drawing the Speaker’s attention to the state of the House, the bells were set ringing to summon a quorum. When the requisite number entered the Chamber, the debate was continued and a division reached at seven p.m., the voting being carried by 33 to 24. Messrs Atmore and Black joined the Labour members voting against the motion.

The House rose at 7.5 till 10.30 to-morrow morning.