DELAY REFUSED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19140, 8 October 1936, Page 5

DELAY REFUSED

NEW INDUSTRIAL BILL OPPOSITION AMENDMENT APPEAL FOR CAUTION FAR-PEACHING- MEASURE (Parliamentary Hcporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. After a three days' discussion of the Industrial Efficiency Bill, the Opposition gave a new turn to the debate in the House of Representatives last night when their leader, tin- Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, moved an amendment to the motion for the second reading.

It requested the House to refer the bill back to the Government for the purpose of reconstruction on the hues ol dealing only with specific or particular industries if a majority of those composing such industries have expressed a desire to come under its provisions. When Mr. C. A Wilkinson (Nat., Ejrmont) seconded the amendment, Air. T. H. McCombs (Lab., LytteltonJ raised laughter among Labour members by declaring!: "The old leader and the new." Mr. Forbes suggested that the word "board" having become obnoxious to the Government it was setting up a body called a bureau. This was to have the power of planning industries. He, as a farmer, would not like to see members of the bureau, though excellent public servants, deciding how he was to plan. It was ludicrous, and he could not understand the Minister adopting such an idea.

When New Zealand imposed high customs duties and outside manufacturers complained, they were told that they were welcome to bring! their capital into New Zealand and manufacture here, hut under this bill he could not imagine anyoverseas firm attempting to come in when it had to satisfy a bureau which could impose impossible conditions. He could quite understand men alreadyestablished deciding that they wanted nobodv else in their industry. UNEXPECTED EFFECTS

Mr. Forbes reminded the Government that when a former administration introduced measures relating to the dairying and meat industries, they allowed them to remain before the House for many weeks, during which time committees of the House called evidence and went thoroughly into the proposals. The resuit was' that when they reported the whole House had confidence in their recommendations. But in the present case this was not done, though there was an efficient Industries and Commerce Committee.

He was not going! to say that the clauses relating to research were not necessary, but he felt sure that most oi the provisions of the bill would have the opposite effect from that expected by the Minister in charge, for they would not encourage the development of industry or find more employment. He was positive that if a committee of the House had considered the Efficiency Bill it would not have supported some of its provisions, while the Minister himself must see the danger of taking the complete onus on himself regarding decisions about carrying on industries. He was also doubtful if the manufacturers had all been able to gave their opinion. He moved his amendment, not for the nurpose of prolonging the debate, but because the bill was too far-reaching in its power to regulate all industry. He considered that the Prime Minister was not showing consideration to the House nor studying the efficiency of its legislation without permitting it to be considered bv a Select Committee, to which members would pay more attention than to any other body. He knew it was a unique experience for such a measure to be put through without investigation, and the Minister in charge, when in Opposition, always insisted that the former Government should send bills to committee. HANDING OVER INITIATIVE The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage : And it seldom did.

Mr. Forbes: We certainly did with a bill of this magnitude. The amendment was seconded by Mr. Wilkinson, who said it was not known to the people vitally concerned. Tens of thousands of people came within the scope of the bill, which simply controlled the whole country. It was of such magitude that it was absolutely essential that it should be held over for further consideration.

While he was opposed to the bill, Mr. Wdkinson added that he could not agiee with those who said that no organisation of industry was necessary. He believed that there were many industries in need of organisation. He felt certain that the Minister did not want to hurt anyone, hut he was mistaken in his ideas. If the Government put the bill into operation it would do a very great wrongi to enterprising people. The bill was sweeping ; it was drastic; it affected the whole community, the whole field of commerce, and the ' whole field of activity. It simply meant banding over all initiative, all enterprise, all control, to the Minister. He believed that the Minister himself felt that the bill was shaky; that it was not too good. Though several Oppositionists .supported delay, no Government members commented on the amendment, which, on a division, was lost by 42 votes to 17. The debate was then adjourned, and will not. be resumed to-day as the Finance Bill is to receive preference.