LABOUR DISPUTES INVESTIGATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 19961, 15 December 1913, Page 8

LABOUR DISPUTES INVESTIGATION.

THE STRIKE DISCUSSED

On tho motion of the Hon. Allen, tho dr-bato was adjourned.

On tho third reading of the Labour "Disputcr, Investigation Bi'il. Sir Joseph Ward road a number of leading articles from papers supporting the Government, ■nil urging that the Government ought to havo stepped in and stopped the strike. He agreed that there could only ho one Govern^nt in a country. The Government might have stepped in :ui'l asserted itself. Hon. Fraser said had the House interviewed tho mob in the street they would have laughed at legislation. Tljg Government was justified in bringing si^cialconstablcs into Wellington. If a plebiscite of tlio poonlo was taken, 7o per cent of the people would endorse th e action of the Government. Mr. Bradney contended thut if the tvovernment had not done what tlu- r did, there would have been bloodshed. Mr. Isitt argued that Mr. Massey must accept responsibility for rejecting tho Opposition's offers to help in mecU--tion. <but .ho could not Lear tho loss which his refusal incurred ; the country would liavo to bear that. Hon. Herd man contended that a secret ballot amongst the waterside worker:"-, would not have prevented intimidation by tho officers of the ixnion. which \--'.iy. going on. He denied that the official police had not been used as fully a-: they might have been. The force w.!.s so smair as to he useless against 'ho lawless element then in the city. Tt would hayo been madness to have r;-ked a conflict with the strikers befo/o Iho .special constables arrived. Tho workers had been misled by a band of I'ion who had no sense of responsibility, who were not prepared to abido by rifjreements. and who h?x\ vo respr;.-t fr.r law and order. Mr. Massey, in reply, said ho agreed with Sir Josenh Ward that there could not bo two Governments in the coun-

try, and it was just the attempt to supersede the regular Government that had brought about the whole trouble. Something had been said as to the cost of maintaining law and order, but he believed that if his party went to the country to-morrow —and he would »:■> glad of the opportunity—7s per cent. I or tho people would support what xno \ Government had dwie. He stated that I had received letters and telegrams from f all parts of the country endorsing the I efforts of tho Government in maintainI ing law and order. Tho House rose at 5-30. Tho House resumed at 7-30. Mr. Massey, continuing his speech, said it was true the country had not got^ value for the expenditure on the strike, but he was confident that tho shortage of revenue due to the dislocation of trade would be recovered during tho remaining months of the financial year. He deprecated the introduction of legislation to settle the strike, and justified the steps taken to rescue the Wellington wharves from strike pickets, whose permits he read to the House. Ho read descriptions of riots in Wellington from reputable people to show that the precautions taken to preserve law and order were warranted, and declared that no legislation in the world could have prevented riots. • The Bill was read a third time and passed. MONOPOLY PREVENTION. Tho House went into Committee on tho Monopoly Prevention Amendment Bill, which was passed. Tho Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill was next taken in Committee. Tho Bill was in charge of the Hon. Fisher, but as the "Premier took the Bill, Mr. Atmore asked if Mr. Fisher was absent owjng to illness or pressure of pn^ic business. Tho Premier replied that Mr. Fisher was not absent owing to illness or presMiro of public business, but would be in a few minutes addressing a public meeting in the Lyttelton electorate, where ho had gone on a special invitation. Sir Jcsp.nh Ward tried to ask the Premier whether ho approved of a Minister going into the electorate during an election, but the chairman ruled th« question out of order. Later, Mr. Hindmarsh tried to get in n reference to the matter, but was also ruled out. Tho Shops and Offices Amendment Aci was put through its final stages. The clousn providing for ?. whole holiday weel'/y to hotel and resifimvaryt employees was altered to exclude from its operation hotels where the staff, including the occupier and family, is less than five. • Tho Houso rose at 10 o'clock, and resumes at 11 a.m. on Monday.