PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18159, 25 October 1930, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

EDUCATION SYSTEM. • . / COST OF REORGANISATION. MR R. A. WRIGHT’S ESTIMATE. (Special to Times.) i WELLINGTON, Friday. The cost of putting into effect the proposals put forward in' the Recess Education Committee’s Report presented to the House of Representatives this session was referred to by Mr R. A. Wright (Reform— Wellington Suburbs) in the House of Representatives this afternoon, speaking on the Appropriation Bill. Mr Wright said he did not wish to criticise the recommendations, but simply to point out what he thought they would cost if all were carried out. Of course, it might not be intended to give effect to all the recommendations.

Mr Wright estimated that the raising of the school age would involve an extra expenditure of £192,750 in capital cost, and £78,750 in salaries and £20,000 in capitation annually. The raising of women’s salaries to the standard of men’s salaries would cost £103,000 annually Other estimates he gave were: Reducing classes to 35, £200,000 per annum, and capital cost of buildings for junior high schools £400,000. The total capital cost would be £1,192,750. The interest and sinking fund on buildings for junior high schools would be £77,350. The total annual increase in the Education Vote would amount to £478,100. Mr Wright said he had worked out the figures from reports furnished by the Minister. ,• RAILWAYS REPORT. FREIGHTS AND FARES. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Mr C. E. Macmillan (Reform — Tauranga) asked the. Minister of Railways in the House of Representatives to-day if it was intended t 3 give effect to that portion of the Railway Commission’s report which recommends increases in railway fares and freights. The Minister (the Hon. W. A. Veitch) replied that some of the increases had been approved by Cabinet, while others were still under consideration. The details would be made public shortly. i UNEMPLOYMENT. THE ANNUAL LEVY. EFFECT ON CASUAL LABOUR. (Special ; to Times.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Mr R. A. Wright (Reform, Wellington Suburbs) asked the Minister of Labour in the House of Representatives to-day if local bodies employing casual labour oh relief works would be held responsible under the Unemployment Act to see that the men are registered, many of whom might be employed for mor : e than seven days, bqt less than one month; if so, would this not compel a local body to considerably increase its staff for the purpose of ascertaining whether each worker has complied with the provisions of the Act; and would the regulations empower any employer of lauour to collect from the worker the amount of the levy of 30s per year at the rate of 7s 6d per quarter, and pay the money to the credit of the department concerned? The Minister of Labour (the Hon. S. G. Smith) said the responsibility for registering was imposed on every male person, and it was also clearly the responsibility of employers to see that their employees were registered. All employers would have to do would be to see that the men had the necessary papers, and this would not necessitate any extra staff. Probably the hoard would make arrangements whereby local bodies and large employers could deduct the levy from the wages of employees and pay the money in to the board. This would facilitate collection of the levy.

Mr Smith said that nominations for the board closed on November 7, and it was hoped to have it set up as soon as possible after that date. ARBITRATION. THE AMENDED BILL. FARM LABOUR NOT AFFECTED. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Friday. When it was officially indicated in the House of Representatives to-day that the Government proposed to proceed with the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, questions were asked as to the purport of the measure. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, said it was merely to restore to the Court 'the power it had been exercising for many years. It was purely for ratifying agreements between workers and employers. However even if employers and workers agreed that certain claims should go into the award under the Bill the Court was not bound to include such clauses.

Mr Smith said the Bill was to protect the power of the Court to include in the award matter relevant to a dispute. If the Court did not like to do that it had power to exclude such matter. If the House preferred not to put the Bill on the Statute Book, it would be doing a great injustice to the worker. It would not be giving to the Court the power it had been exercising • for very many years. The Minister said the Bill would not bring about compulsory unionism, as had been suggested by the opponents of the Bill, unless all parties were agreed and the Court was satisfied. It was not. correct to say that if the Bill were passed it would enable farm labourers to be brought under the award. The Bill did not affect farm labourers in any way, and it gave the Arbitration Court no more power in this respect than that existing under the present Act. Mr W. J. Poison (Independent— Stratford) said legal advice had been taken. The fear of Hie farmers was that the Bill would take the matters out of the hands of the Court. By agreement between employer and employee matters might be taken out of the hands of the Court. That was what the farmers were afraid of, and they were anxious to avoid the possij (Continued in next column.)