UNDER CONSIDERATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1454, 31 May 1912, Page 6

UNDER CONSIDERATION.

BILLS OUTLINED. \ THE ARBITRATION COURT. ° Mr. Mackenzie went on to summarise s briefly some facts and figure.; under the s headings of Customs, tho Marino Depart- 1 ment, weather forecasts, labour, the cost of living, and workers' dwellings. He proceeded to say that the following Bills are under consideration by tho Government for tho benefit of workers:— Shearers' Accommodation Bill, a. revision of the old Act, and. while it will not require station-holders to provide any better accommodation than is necessary under tho old Act, tho new Act makes tho procedure in dealing with the matter more expeditious. •Sawmill Workers' Accommodation Bill, providing for accommodation being erected for bushmini and others engaged in connection with sawmills while away from the mill in the bush. 1

Scaffolding Inspection Act. It is proposed to M'iilen the scope of this Act in order to provide for inspection of all work in connection with the erection and demolii'ion of buildings, whether scaffolding is being used or not. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. The Government has under consideration tlw important matter of tho reconstitution of the Aibitratiou Court to bring tho Act into operation in a more practicable manner. Tho Government proposes to arrangi lor tho immigration of a -number of carefully selected girls from high-class English orphanages, including the Masonic, Clergy, and Commercial Travellers' Orphanages Tho number of the first instalment will bo fifty. If tho scheme is successful, the number will bo considerably increased. Social Insurance and Friendly Societies, Tho important question of extending social insurance against sickness, invalidity, etc., for (lie industrial classes has iji'en under consideration. This reform has attracted great attention in Great Britain in connection with tho universal and compulsory scheme adopted in that eountrv, which is framed much on the linos of the" German system. A study of these systems shows thai: the condit'ons 111 this country do not, fortunately, demand such. d;asiio and expensive methods. On tho whole, therefore, tho Government has decided to extend tho scopc of our present measures, and at the same time offer to co-oporato with (he friendly societies. In announcing, therefore, that the Government proposes to further relieve sonic of the workers' burdens caused through sickness, I at tho same time desire to stale that in my opinion tiio friendly societies are the best and most deserving organisations through which this important work can be carried out. Their members are entitled to some help, and a subvention for tiicm. will, if tho experience elsewhere is to bo repeated, result in a cheapening of benefits and a consequent increase in membership, 'J'he proposed extension of the National Provident Fund Act will liberally subsidise I he prolonged .and old-age sickness m friendlv societies and will be based broad! v on tho State paying up to one-half of tho weekly allowances. Government also proposed to oiler facilities for local authorities, employers, etc., to insure their employees in the National Provident Fund bv giving the board power to niako special terms lor this purpose. Whoro tho locul juiihoii- j Ues or tho employers themselves pay a portion of the contributions, they wiii be empowered—<\nd if possible the societies also—to deduct their employee's ."•ontrihution from wages, under certain conditions. The Stale's subsidy of onefourth of tho contributions will go Inwards the cost of benefits that may be agreed upon with locs* authorities or employers.