PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1927, Page 9

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

VARIOUS BILLS DISCUSSED APPRENTICESHIP AMENDMENT. LABOUR PARTY'S PROTESTS By Telegraph.—-Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In moving in the House of Representatives to-day the second reading of the Guardianship of Infants Amendment Bill, the Hon. F. J. Rolleston said the Bill was designed to confer on magistrates power to give consent to the marriage of “infants.” The Minister explained that it was intended to do this in last year’s amending Bill, but the intentions of the legislature in this respect were defeated by a previous clause which restricted the jurisdiction of magistrates with regard to applications under the Act to cases where children were under 16 year of age. The Bill was read a second time without discussion.

On behalf of the Minister of Agriculture the Hon. A. D. McLeod moved the second reading of the Introduction of Plants Bill which, the Minister explained, was intended to control introduction into the Dominion of new plants. Many people were bringing in plants that were an absolute danger to the country, and this must be stopped. Mr. W. H. Field said, it was a pity the Bill was not brought in 20 years ago, as then many noxious weeds might have been stopped.

The Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Agricultural Committee.

The House then went into committee on tho Bankruptcy Amendment Bill, which was reported with minor amendments made by the Statutes Revision Committee. The Magistrate’s Court Amendment Bill was also reported with minor amendments.

The Apprentices Amendment Bill was next called on, when the Leader of the Opposion asked the Minister of Labour if ho would postpone the Bill until the whole question could be gone into thoroughly. He was receiving objections to the Bill from all parts of tho Dominion and ho failed to see why this amendment, which was only a partial' one, should be rushed through at the end of the session.

The Hon. G. J. Anderson said he could not postpone the Bill because he had asked for suggestions and, having received them, he felt bound to give effect to them. The present system of dtermining the employer’s quota of apprentices was not satisfactory and if boys were to be given the opportunity to learn a trade this amendment must be passed. OPENING FOR 'APPRENTICES. Mr. W. A. Veitch said that while the Bill did not do all he would like to see, he considered it an improvement on the existing law. It would give apprentices a better opportunity of learning their trade than heretofore. Mr. R. McKeen urged the postponement of tho Bill, as it had not as yet received mature consideration by the labour unions. Only one side had been consulted and ho moved to report progress in order that the whole question might be brought under review by all ■persons concerned. Sir John Luke said if the Opposition wished to befriend, apprentices they should support the Government. Air. J. Horn said delays were dangerous in eases of this k4nd and he could not for that reason support the amendment. Mr. E. J. Howard declared that no clear statement of the position had been made, and that was the reason why the Bill should be delayed. On the House resuming at 7.30 p.m., Mr. MeKeen’s amendment to report progress was ruled out on the ground that the dinner adjournment had intervened before the amendment was put.

Tho first clause of the Bill was then allowed to pass. On the second clause Mr. P. Fraser again moved to report progress, not, as he explained, to block the Bill but to emphasise the need for further consideration. On a division the amendment was lost by 53 votes to 15. Mr. D. G. Sullivan said there was no doubt the effect of the Bill would be to increase the number of apprentices, and it was tragedy to train more apprentices than could be absorbed in the trade for which they were trained.

The Hon. J. A. Young said it was far worse to deprive young men of the opportunity to learn any trade, for a tradesman always Stood a better chance of obtaining work than one who had no trade.

Messrs. H. T. Armstrong and W. J. Jordan argued that the unions were no! responsible for tho present situation. The root of the trouble was that the employers were not employing their quota of apprentices, because they would not be bothered with them. They preferred to import ready made journeymen. After further criticism and objection by Labour members, tho clause was agreed to on the voices. RESTRICTION ON EMPLOYERS. Mr. P. Fraser then moved a new clause providing that no person bo added to the list of employers unless he had been a journeyman in that trade and was at that time engaged in it. He said tho object of tbo clause was to prevent the ranks of employers being stuffed with bogus names. The Minister said he could not accept the, amendment at that stage, but ho would consider the suggestion when he was going into the whole question of apprentices. The new clause was lost on the voices, and tho Bill was reported without amendment. The Public Service Superannuation Bill was next considered in committee. Mr. D. J. Sullivan asked- tlie Minister if- he was prepared, to do anything in the way of providing superannuation for nurses.

The Hon. W. Nosworthy said he had not forgotten it.

Mr. M. J. Savage urged that the widow of a superannuate should have a more liberal allowance than ilB per annum. It would, of course, mean a more costly scheme, but it should be done. Moreover, the whole scheme required a careful, overhaul. Mr. T. K. Sidey said there were other cases equally deserving of consideration. Would there ge further, legislation brought down this session Jhe Hon. W. Nosworthy eaid no fnr-

ther legislation would be brought down this session, but a committee had been set up to go into t«*> various matters, and he hoped to introduce a Bill on the subject next session.

The Bill was subsequently reported without amendment, and the Bills reported were then read a third time and passed. On the third reading of tho Apprentices Amendment Bill, Mr. H. E. Holland said the Labour Party had in committee endeavoured to get the Bill postponed in order to give industrial organisations an opportunity of formulating their objections to it. The Minister had during the recess circularised the employers’ committees hut tho unions had no notice of the intention to introduce the Bill and their ekle of the case had not been heard. Sir John Luke eaid notice had. been sent to the labour unions by the clerk of the Labour Bills Committee and the evidence offered was by no means hostile to the Bill. Mr. D. G. -Sullivan said the Minister was making a. mistake. He was, in

fact, building on sand. The Minister said he was not building on sand but he was being guided by common sense and experience.

The Minister of Labour moved the third reading of the Inspection of Machinery Bill, which was agreed to after brief debate and the Bill was passed.

The Prime Minister stated that the Publie Works Statement would come down this week and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill would be brought down to-morrow. The House rose at 10.30 p.m. till 2.30 pm. to-morrow.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. DISCUSSION OF THE TARIFF

Wellington, Last Night. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. The Orchard Tax Bill and the Apiaries Bill were received from tho House of Representatives, and read a first time, the latter being also read a second time proforma and referred to the Statute Revision Committee.

In moving the second reading of the Customs Amendment Bill, the Leader of the Council, Sir Francis Bell, merely pointed out that the Council had no right to amend any part of it. The Hon, A. 8. .Malcolm, in a lengthy free-trade speech, expressed the opinion that those interested in high protection, noisy as they were in their propaganda, were a mere handful. Protection must tend to make goods dearer. It encouraged bad management, and prevented the development of new industries. If industries could not succeed in New Zealand without protection they should not start at all. The idea that New Zealand was unable to establish ' industries natural to her without protection was not complimentary to the Dominion. Referring to the wheat industry, lie pointed out that Britain did not impose a tariff on wheat, and surely duties were not necessary here. Tho farmers had made a terrible mistake in supporting tho tariff. The Hon. W. W. Snodgrass regretted that a duty had not been imposed on imported iron in protection of Onakaka products, and he sugested it would have been more reasonable if the 15 per cent, protective duty in respect of glass jars had been given in protection of the iron industry.

The Hen. W. Earnshaw thought the Government had gone too far in timber duties, which would not tend to bring building costs down.

Sir Thomas MacKenzie said it was inevitable that high protection must come in New Zealand as a result of the drift to the towns.

The Hon. J. A. Hanan said every country was. seeking to make itself selfcontained, and New Zealand’s attitude at present was consonant with that endeavour.

Tiie Bill was read a second time, committed without amendment and set down for the third reading on Friday. Sir Francis Bell gave notice of hia intention to introduce a Police Offences Consolidation Bill.

Tho Council adjourned at 4.22 p.m until to-morrow.