PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Daily Times, 11 March 1932, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

ARBITRATION BILL. The second reading debate on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill was opened in the House -of Representatives yesterday. The passage of the Bill was advanced an important stage when the second reading was moved by the Minister of Labour, Hon. A. Hamilton. An unusual request was made m a petition presented to the House in the afternoon on behalf of the Alliance of Labour, which asked that its representatives should be given the pnvrlege of advancing its views at the ] jar of the House before the measure was taken further. The Prime Minister turned a deaf ear to the request, saying that this procedure had not been adopted during his experience of Parliament, and he did not think it was necessary to grant the concession sought. Mr Hamilton sot the second reading debate upon its course, and from the start he was subjected to a. running fire of comment from the Labour benches. ISO persistent were his interjectors that Mr Speaker was finally forced to threaten to stop all interruption unless members were reasonable. Lobby opinion concerning the opposition to the Bill of certain Government members received confirmation during the day, and both Mr W. P. Endean (Govt., Parnell) and Mr A. J. btaliworthy (Govt., Eden) made it clear by their interjections'when the. Minister of Labour was speaking that they weie not entirely satisfied with the course of action proposed. Hostility to the measure was openly expressed‘in the evening by Mr J. Connelly (Govt., Mid-Canterbury), who declared that the Government was goin. too far and that the Arbitration Court was to be reduced to but a shadow of its former self. The ex-Minister of Labour, Mr b. G Smith, who was in the main in favour of the Bill, was not sure about the wisdom of at least one proposed provision, and he made it more than ever that certain sections of the measure will not be free fiom o cism from the Government benche^ There is every indication that Government members will press foi ainen meats to the Bill before it is allowed to go through. The Labour speakers declare >a E : -ll will destroy the Court and make for industrial trouble, reducing wages and creating widespread dissatisfaction while the contention of Government members generally is to amend award conditions. ECONOMISTS’ REPORT. The interim report of the Expenditure Commission was present to Parliament to-day. „ Some of the recommendations 0. the committee are as follow; , That subsidies to Hospital Braids he subject to annual review by Parliament. That subsidies to volun.nry bequests to hospitals be discontinued That Education grants and s,".ud es should be subject to annual review bv subsidies on bequests to educational institutions should be diseontUThat the £2500 subsidy to the dulnlee Institute for the Blind be withheld in the meantime. _ ~ That University bursaries be dr-on tlD That the law should be amended by deleting the exemption of income derived Dorn the National Provident Fund benefits. That no new' contributors National Provident Fund should be enrolled on the present bams as we are of opinion that conditions in the future :L1 1)0 on a Se lf- S urp»rt.np,b»n That grants to University for workers’ extension lectures be discontinued. , That maternity allowances to tributors to National Provident Fund and to friendly societies be cL.conThat contribution? to Superannuation Funds be provided by way of annua V °That unemployment, taxation should he paid into the Consolidated Fund and Parliament decide upon the i.nemp ov Thar subsidies o’to 0 ’to Fire Boards be provided by annual appropriation. That tbs numbers of members of the Hov=e of Representatives and the Legislative Council should be reduced That widows pensions be reduce That oXI-nge pensions be reduced from 17/6 Per week to 15/- per week ! and that the income exemption be re S (luced from £52 per annum to £"9 per.

annum. . Tlmt the pconopnc wn’’ n«u 'Oil _ IC 1.0 filseontinred but not total abolition

in one year.

That pensions to dependants ot disabled soldiers should be reduced. That double pensions be abolished, except in the case of old-age and war pensions. That, all permanent pensions be reviewed annually. That the revenue at present credited to the Main Highway Board should form 1 part of the Consolidated Fund. That compensation for diseased stock destroyed be discontinued. That issue of postage stamps to members of both Houses be discontinued.

That government salaries and wages be reduced by a further 10 per cent, (salaries and wages at present are m the region -of £12,500,000). Economy in "Hansalird” and Parliament printing. Economy at Bellamys. Restriction in M.P. railway passes.

Economy in naval defence. That there must be a very substan tial reduction in educational expend! tnre.