INDUSTRIES BILL.

Wairarapa Age, 8 October 1936, Page 5

INDUSTRIES BILL.

MODIFICATION URGED BY OPPOSITION. DEALING WITH PARTICULAR INDUSTRIES. AMENDMENT REJECTED ON PARTY VOTE. (By Telegraph—“ The Age" Special.) WELLINGTON, October 7. After three days of discussion on the Industrial Efficiency Bill, the Opposition gave a new turn to the debate in the House of Representatives to-night, when their leader (the 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 its reconstruction on the lines of dealing only with specific or particular industries if a majority of those composing such industries had expressed a desire to come under its provision. Mr. Forbes suggested that the word “board," having become obnoxious to ther 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 a bureau, though excellent public servants, deciding how he was to I plan. It was ludicrous and he could not understand the Minister adopting such an idea. He reminded the Government that when the 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 result was that when they reported, the whole House had confidence in their recommendations, but in the present case this had not been done, though there was an efficient Industries and Commerce Committee. It was a unique experience for such a measure to be put through without investigation and the Minister in charge, when in Opposition, had always insisted that the former Government should send Bills to committees. The Prime Minister: “And it seldom did." Mr. Forbes: “We certainly did with a Bill of this magnitude." Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, who seconded the amendment, declared that tens of thousands of people came within the scope of the Bill, which controlled the whole country. It handed over all initiative, enterprise and. .control to a Minister. These views were supported by several Oppositionists. The amendment was defeated on a division by 42 voles to 17 and the debate was adjourned.