FAMILY ALLOWANCES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19444, 2 November 1925, Page 9

FAMILY ALLOWANCES

THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR REPORT.

LABOUR PARTY’S REPLY TO GOVERNMENT. [Per Press Association.] , WELLINGTON, Oct 81. Air Y. Nash, National Secretary of the Aew Zealand Labour Party, states: J he suggestion has been made that responsibility for the proposals contained in tho Department of Labofcj report to reduce wages to provide foj family allowances should bo placed o> the secretary of the Department (Alt F. W. Rowley) instead of tho Alinistei of Labour (the Hon. Anderson). The following extracts from the Statute dealing with the Labour Department clearly prove that responsibility is with the Alinister. The Labour Department and Labour Day Act 1908* Section 12 (I).—The Alinister shall |in each year make a report in writing to tho Governor upon the operations of the Act and the working of the | Department, together with such reconx- . inendations, either general or special, as he may think necessary in order to promote the efficiency or extend the usefulness of the Department.” Factories Act. Minister to prepare annual report. Section G 8: ‘‘From local reports so furnished tho Minister shall prepare an annual report for each year ending thirty-first day of March, and lay tho same within one month after tho close of such year before Parliament if then sitting, or if not then within ono month after the commencement of the then ensuing session. ’ ’

(“Alinister” is interpreted in both acts as Alinister of Labour). The procedure between tho Department and the Alinister is as follows: The Government Printing Department sets up in typo the above report (A). It is then sent to the Labour Department. The Alinister of Labour deletes from the draft report what ho disagrees with, inserts any further cony, and the report as approved by tho Alinister is ordered to be printed tor presentation to Parliament. The statement of the Labour Party has been proved up to tho hilt. Tho Alinister for Labour, one of the oldest Afinisters in the Reform Party’s cabinet, is responsible for the Departmental report. This report contains proposals which the Labour Party exposed. The Act spocfically provides for the recommendations of the Alinister and in accord with the procedure following can delete whatever ho disagreed with in the report. The Acts of Parliament relative to the matter, the Afinisterial statement and tho additional evidence evinced from the opening of tho controversy have completely proved the Labour Party’s case that the proposals providing for a wage cut were the proposals of the responsible Alinister of the Reform Party.