QUICK WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 27, 31 July 1936, Page 10

QUICK WORK

CUTS RESTORATION

BILL PASSES BOTH HOUSES

ROYAL ASSENT TODAY

Eleven hours after it was passed by ihu House of Representatives, the Finance Bill, which restores wages and salary cuts to the 1931 level as from July ], 1936, was also passed by the Legislative Council.

The Bill was passed by the House at 1.15 o'clock tills morning. The j Council received the Bill shortly before 11 a.m. and urgency was accorded its passage. Apart from the brief remarks of the acting Leader (the Hon. B. Martin), who moved the second reading, there was only one speaker—the Hon. R. Masters. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. There was no discussion in the Committee stages, and the Bill was put through all stages and passed by 12.15 p.m. All that remains to make the Bill law, is the Royal Assent, and this will be obI tamed today.

Moving the second reading. Mr. Martin said the Bill was in accordance with the policy of the Government to restore the cuts mad'j in wages in 1931.

The Hon. R." Masters said that ha i agreed with the salary restorations, as the previous Government had promised them. He doubted whether the increases now being provided for would meet the extra cost of living. | The position, of the farming community had improved in the last twelve months, owing to the external increase in prices. Taking butter and wool only, there had been an increase to the farmers of the Dominion last year of £11,000,000. The increase went further than that, for it was reflected in buoyant revenue. Dealing with increased costs, Mr. Masters said that there would be a serious conflict between theoretical and practical economics, and in that conflict something was going to break, and it was questionable whether . more practical j economics should not be mixed with theoretical economics. The 40-hour week and the wage restorations would cost the railways £500,000 extra.

Dealing with the restoration of education grants, Mr. Masters said that when the cuts were imposed technical schools had accumulated £40,000, and education boards had accumulated credits of £22,300.

The Hon. B. C. Bobbins: And school committees were starving.

Mr. Masters said that school committee capitation was never reduced by him. The time had arrived when the professional side of education should be separated from the business side.

Mr. Masters criticised the £1500 offered for a Director of Broadcasting, and referred to the salaries paid to othnr civil sevants in high positions. If i; was desired to keep the best men in the service, then adequate salaries should be paid.

One regrettable feature of the Bill, said Mr. Masters, was that there was no end of clauses that provided for final decisions by the Minister or by Order in Council.

Replying, Mr. Martin said that he took it that as the only .speaker was Mr. Masters, then Mr. Masters must be the only member of the Council who found fault with the Bill.

The Hon. E. McCallum: We support it.

Mr. Martin reiterated that he was entitled to come to that assumption. The Hon. Sir James Allen: You are entitled to assume nothing. The Bill was put through the remaining stages without discussion and passed.