BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1932, Page 9

BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

APPRENTICESHIP CONTROL

BILL READ THE SECOND TIME. REFERENCE TO A COMMITTEE. URBAN FARM LANDS RATING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Replying to Mr. Walter Nash (Lab., Hutt) in the House of Representatives to-day the Hon. C. E. Macmillan said it was not practicable to introduce this session a Bill providing for the registration of tomato growers. The Public Works Statement was laid on the table.

The Christchurch Tramway District Amendment Bill was reported from the Local Bills Committee with amendments.

The Apprentices Bill was introduced by Governor-General’s message and read a first time. The Hon. A. Hamilton said the measure was a consolidation of the Apprentices Act, 1923, and subsequent amendments. It maintained the principle of the apprenticeship contract and conditions of employment. He would ask that the measure be referred to the Labour Bills Committee so that evidence might be heard from all the parties interested. There was no particular need to hurry the legislation through, and ample opportunity would be given for the hearing of representations. Reasonable amendments would be considered.

The Minister said the Bill placed the control of the apprenticeship question in the hands of an apprenticeship council consisting of a registrar, two employers’ representatives and two employees’ representatives. Mr. R. McKeen (Lab.,' Wellington South): Are you abolishing the apprenticeship committees? Mr. Hamilton: No. The committees will be given a better standing than at present. The registrar will be able to carry out the duties of the committees in districts where there are no committees.

The Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Labour Bills Committee.

The House agreed to an. amendment made by the Legislative Couiicil to the Local Authorities Sinking Funds Bill. The Native Land Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. Moving the second reading of the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill Mr. Hamilton said the present law did not do justice to small farmers in Urban areas. Most boroughs contained land used for rural purposes, and the Bill was designed to give relief where the present system of rating was bearing too heavily on land-owners. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Lab., Avon) said the weak policy of the Bill was that the concession secured by holders of rural farm lands would have to be paid for by other people in the borough, and that was why he doubted the wisdom of the legislation at the present time. Mr. Sullivan and other Labour members urged that relief workers should also be given consideration with respect to the payment of rates.' The Bill was read a second time.