THE LABOUR BILLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4766, 5 October 1893, Page 1

THE LABOUR BILLS.

« The Minister for Labour and his Proposed Legislation. Attack on the Upper House. [FROM OTTR SPECIAL COBREBPONDENT.I WELLINGTON, Oct. 4~ The Minister for Labour in asking .that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill be discharged, made a strong attack upon the Upper House. He had ascertained, he said, on good authority, that it would be a waßte of time to aßk for a conference on the Bill. He would have been prepared even to go through that form, hopeless though it might be, had it not been for the treatment the Bill had received in another place. Thrice had it passed the Lower House. Last year the Upper House had made alterations. This year the Bill had been again carefully gone through by a Committee, and in the result the Upper House had not amended it but had mutilated it. It looked like newspaper cenßorship in Eussia, where the censor smeared out absolutely what he considered ob j ectionable., The Upper House had simply struck out atl it objected to. He ascertained that there -was not the slightest chance of the Upper House allowing the Bill to pass in a Bhape that would be at all welcome; it would only accept a mutilated fragment Bucb. as had proved useless in England, Victoria and New South Wales; worse than useless, because what had been done prevented useful legislation. If he were to accept the wretched abortion which the Upper Houße had made of the Bill, it would be made an excuse for preventing better legislation. He would not accept it, and he asked the Lower House not to humiliate itself by accepting it. At the general election it would be a question for the people. He was sorry a nominated chamber had thrown the people back to the old alternative of strikes. It would be for the people to ask themselves whether in the future the people of New Zealand were to govern themselves, or whether year after year Bills were to be rejected in this unreasonable manner, and the country ruled by a little handful of domineering nominees. MB EOLLESTON said he would not like the words of the Minister for Labour to be the last parting ones on the subject. The House had heard from the Ministerial beaches a wholesale condemnation of the Legislative Council as domineering nominees. That was a phrase which should not have come j from the Ministerial benches; it was opj posed to every notion he had of propriety. It also came very badly from a partywho appealed to Downing street to enable it > to crowd that House with its nominees, and who put twelve men into it to carry its measures. At any rate, those twelve and those who supported the Bill were entitled to a little more courteous tone. The people of the country were not going to be I led into strikes by designing politicians, ! for whom he had the greatest contempt, as he had for those members of the House who, when the Colony was in a crisis, called upon working men to "come out." Was tho Minister for Labour prepared, to put his hands in his pockets and make good the loss to starving women and children ? He j (Mr KolleBton) did not think the appeal I made by the Minister would be a popular j one, whether the Chamber was right or i wrong at this particular moment. In | other Bills the Chamber had exercised a 1 wise discretion. The Minister had I said he would leave the matter to the people. That was the proper course !to adopt. As for the attack made j on the Legislative Chamber, there were j men there who would win an election : against the Minister himself. Had that Minister such supremo wisdom in & measure involving large considerations? A man new to the benches and to public life pretended that he had this supreme wisdom. It would take him all his time to establish, that claim. MB HOGG. proceeded to attack the Upper House, whicb, ho said, all through the session, j had stood in the way of Liberal measures. He w&6 called to order. Dr Newman asked whether the Minister had not made similar reference to the Upper House. The Spbakeb said Mr Reeves had besn permitted to make a passing remark. Mr Pish: A passing remark — a very strong remark. He said it was a cad and sorry sight to see a Minister so degrade his high office. The Legislative Council had Btood between a rabid Lower Houbo and the people, and it was an honour to the Colony. MB SANDFOBTJ SYMPATHISED with the Minister in the warmth of his remarks, and entirely, endorsed what he had said. After Mr Duthie had spoken, Mr T. Mackenzie (Clutha) said Mr Hogg had used words of a most disreputable character. This Mr Mackenzie had to withdraw, and he substituted " not fit and proper expressions." Mr Fish : The Minister set him the example, so you cannot be surprised. Mr Bruoe was sorry the Labour Bills had not been passed, for then the working classes would know who were their friends. Mr Taylor having made some disparaging remarks about the member for Manukau, Mr Buckland said he did not intend to return to the House, and he hoped Mr Taylor would also be absent, for he was a disgrace to tbe Colony. The Premier at once drey attention to the words, and asked that they be withdrawn. Mr Taylor:. You need not ask him to ■ withdraw. It is rather a compliment than otherwise. Mr Buckland : I certainly will with--1 draw. Mr Taylor: If these gentlemen would : allow me to speak without these insultfng i interjections. (Loud cries of "Order" i and " Withdraw.") I will day objection- ! able interjections. (To Mr Buckland) : [ You are fond of giving a joke, but you cannot take one. i Mr George Fißber eaid the Minister s for Labour, was not sincere in hia i labour legislation. If ho were, he

would not have baen so exceedingly* : offensive in regard to the Upper HouseHe moved—" That there be a conference on tha Labour Bills." Mr Allen seconded, , i bub no division wao called for. Mr j Earnehaw regretted that; the Minister had ; made such remarks; they were not apropos to the question, and at the present stage they could do no good. Aa to a remark made by Mr Fish, ho (Mr Earnsbaw) f contended that every labour organisation in the Colony waa in favour of thu Bill in ■;■; question. , THE MINISTER VOX, LABOUR ! said he had been perfectly justified in the I remarks he had made, and at the next • election the people would have to decide " under which king." As to the Bill itself, he had been ready to accept any amendment that would be a reasonable safeguard. If he could only see this Bill and the Shop Hours Bill Bafely carried he would, if that were made a condition, ' willingly retire from political life. ("Oh, W don't ;" and laughter.) ' ■'..-" Permission was then given to strike tb& Bill from the Order Paper. ;/<i