OPPOSITION PROTEST IN THE HOUSE

Chronicle (Levin), 11 October 1946, Page 5

OPPOSITION PROTEST IN THE HOUSE

-Press Association

By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, Oct. 10. Mr. J. N. Massey (Franklin) speaking in the committee stage on tlie National Provident Fund Amendment Bill in tlie House, said it was very unfortunate that the Bill was not available to members until late yesterday afternoon. Although tlie Opposiion liad sought to contact representatives of local authorities to ascertain their views, it had been possible in the 31iort. time available to discuss the Bill only with the secretarv of the Counties Association, the president and secretarv of the Municipal Association and a representative of tliey Wellington Citv Council. Mr. Massey said these representatives expressed in no uncertain terms their condemnatiou of the iutroduction of such legislation without letting local bodies discuss it. They had expressed their cagnerness to meet the Minister in cliarge but as yet tliat meeting had not taken place. Mr. Massey said he believed in the fundamental principles underlying tlie Bill but his main objection was§ to tlre faet that members had not been given an. opportunity to eonsider the Bill. While the principles of the Bill had been reconunended by the Local Bodies Committee, there might bo dilferenees of opinion about the maehI inery to give eft'ect to those principles. The Bill sliould be deferred to give the interested parties an opportunity of dis cussing it and, doubtless, a measure satisfactory to all would result. Those local body representatives whom he had been able to consult took t>.e strongest possible exception to the manner in which the Bill was being pushed through the House, Mr. G. H. Maekley (Masterton) said. Legislation of the Dominion was reachiiig a sorry stage when the parties most concerned had no prior knowledge of coniing legislation and were not consulted about it. Mr. Nordmeyer, rejilying, said that if the Bill embodied some new and revoluLionary proposals then he would agree that there had been lif.tle -time for its consideration Imt over a period of years emplovees of local bod'fbs had asked for this legislation. The Minister said there vverq at present 1(59 eontributiiig local bodies'and 115,00(1 local body emplovees aml a furtlier 552 loeal bodies and 5000 employees would be embraced by the Bili. Employee.s of local l>odies had for so long been promised a measure oi' this nature that the Government wonld be failing in its duly if the Bill was not brought down. The Bill was put through thc remaining stages and passed.