LABOUR’S ATTACK

Southland Times, Issue 20525, 29 June 1928, Page 7

LABOUR’S ATTACK

THE BIG GUN

QUESTIONS ON UNEMPLOYMENT MINISTERS BOMBARDED (Special to the Times.) Wellington, June 28. That the Labour Party intends to make unemployment its chief subject for attacking the Government this session was disclosed in the House to-day, when Ministers were bombarded with a series of notices of questions bearing on all phases of the question. Comment which was introduced in some of the questions prompted the Speaker to draw attention to the transgression of the rules relating to questions and to say that in many of them were matters of argu ment.

Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) set the ball rolling by asking the Prime Minister if legislation designed to create an unemployment insurance fund would be introduced with the object of relieving the position. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) had several questions. He wanted to know if a committee of the House would be appointed to inquire into the conditions of work and pay on the unemployment relief works and if the rates of pay would be reviewed by the Government. He contended that in spite of the Prime Minister’s assurances on the subject a number of the men on the relief works were not actually receiving the relief rates of 9/- a day for single men and 10/- a day for married men, and he asked if the Prime Minister would consult with the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams, to ensure that that “even these meagre rates were paid.” “I think that I ought to state that some of these questions contain arguments, interjected the Speaker. Mr Fraser’s final question was whether the Government would recognize the right-to-work principle and failing the provision of employment would take steps to provide the inen out of work with out-of-work pay. A return showing the number of unemployed engaged by the Government departments and the average wages paid to single and married men during the past three months was sought by Mr R. McKeen (Wellington Central).