PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Daily Times, 9 December 1937, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

* TEN BILLS PASSED L&TJCKLAND DISPUTE DISCUSSED. 'Events took an unexpected turn in >rthe House of Representatives yesterday ' afternoon, when “the Opposition moved the adjournment of the House in order that members might discuss the dispute on the Auckland waterfront. The right to debate the question was immediately 'Challenged by Government members, who pointed, out that there was then no dispute in existence, as the men had resumed work a few hours previously. It was contended that in such circumstances the subject was not of sufficient urgency to warrant a discussion. After hearing arguments both in favof and against a debate on the the Speaker, Hon. W. E. Bar- , nard, allowed the discussion to proceed. The motion, was moved by Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford), who drew attention to the gravity of the situation arising out of the trouble that [had developed on the Auckland waterfront. He said that delays in the shipment of produce would result m heavy losses to the producers. The (trouble in Auckland was the culmination of many acts throughout New Zealand which had tended to raise waterfront costs. Mr Poison was followed by the Minister of Labour, Hon. H T. Armstrong, who outlined the Steps he had taken to bring about a settlement of the dispute. He depre-’ cated the action of the men concerned. He assured the House that the Government was anxious to maintain industrial peace, and that it would follow constitutional means to achieve that end. The debate was talked out by the [arrival of the tea adjournment at 5.30

: p.m. . , , Rapid progress was made with the passage of Bills after the tea ad3oumment, and the following local Bills were passed with a minimum of discussion: Shames Valley Drainage Board HmJKwering Bill, Taupiri Drainage and’Jj'iver District Amendment Bill, Napier Harbour Board Loan Amendment Bill, Christchurch Domain Amendment Hill, Hamilton Borough Council Empowering Hill, and Cawthron Institute Trust Hoard Rating Exemption Bill (No. 2). Consideration was then given to Government Bills on the Order Paper. IThe following measures were put (through all stages and passed: Local [Legislation Bill, Sovereign’s Birthday jObsevance Bill, Agriculture Emergency Regulations Confirmation Bill, and School of Agriculture Bill. Two Bills were introduced by Gover-nor-General’s Message. One makes provision fbr cheeking the spread of hyiflatids among dogs, and the other extends the Agricultural Workers Act to farm work other than dairying m cases fayhere agreement is reached between employers and workers. The House adjourned at 10.50 p.m.

TO-DAY’S SITTING.

LEONARD SAYERS’ PETITION.

1 WELLINGTON, This Day. -‘■The House of Representatives met 'morning :at 10.30 o ’clock. -I" The Defence 'Committee reported on ' .-ii petition of Leonard- Sayers, a forstoreman- at Wigram- Aerodrome. He included in Lis petition certain a _ ecations against members of the vvigram staff, concerning losses of stores. The Committee heard the evidence oi a number of witnesses, and made a careful investigation, and, while bavinol no recommendation to make regarding Sayers’ reinstatement, it was unanimous that -there was no basis for his charges against the officers. (P.A.) ‘‘MILLION A MINUTE.” “A million a minute” was the description applied to the passing of the Appropriation Bill in the House of Bepreesntatives early yesterday morning. In some respects this even under-' stated the case, as the Bill, authorising the grant and appropriation of a total of £54,006,166, was passed in under lialf an hour. _ . After the approval of the (supplementary Estimates, the House followed the customary procedure of resolving itself into committee of ways and. means, and then the Chairman of Committees, Mr E. J. Howard, read out the foißal resolution embodying all the payments already passed by the House. To this massing of millions, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara) intoned an accompaniment bjsriving progressive totals as the figure gradually mounted to the £50,000,000 mark. WATERFRONT HOLD-UPS. The necessity for an urgent invest!’ gation into the whole question of waterfront delays was stressed by Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford) in tlie House ; of Representatives yesterday, when he moved the adjournment of the House in order that the hold-up on tlie 'Auckland waterfront might be discussed. “What has happened cannot be allowed to continue,” declared Mr Poison, ‘ ‘ and l it is the duty of the Government to tackle the problem. The public enquiry so often asked for by the primary producers should be granted. We want the . matter put right, and we' want the Government, which ought to have the ability to control its own followers, to give justice in the matter. We are asking that something should be done to prevent a repetition of this scandal. ’ ’ sjkp Minister of Labour (the Hon. H-W- Armstrong), after stating that the Government was anxious to maintain industrial peace, outlined the history of the dispute and said that as soon as the Government had been notified of the position, it took every possible step to bring the parties together. The actual time lost through together, pute amounted to only a few hours. Wet weather during the remainder of the time of the dispute would have prevented the loading of ships in any case. The Minister strongly condemned the Action of sections "of workers who were »ot prepared to aecept the decisions of fhe Arbitration Court or of their leaders, but who were constantly causing trouble in industry.