Address by the Minister for Labour.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 177, 26 January 1895, Page 2

Address by the Minister for Labour.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, January 25. Tbe Hon. Mr Reeves addressed a large public meeting in the Skating Rink tonight under the auspices of the Wellington Federated Trades Union Council, and dealt principally with the labor legislation of the Government. When the necessity arose tbey would take advantage of the compulsory clauses of Lands for Settlement Act and perhaps before many weeks were over would use some of tbe blocks of land acquired under the Act for establishing village and artisan settlements on similar lines to those in South Australia. Coming to the labor legislation of New Zealand, he said the colony now possessed the best code of labor laws in the world. He urged tbe working men to watch that labor were administered up to the letter. He explained the working of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and said if the employers and workers would accept it in the spirit in which it was framed it would be a boon to ali and an Act of wbich New Zealand would iv years to come be proud. Coming to tbe Shops and Shop Assistants Act, he said his ideal for the half-holiday was Saturday, and he hoped to see the time when that day would be universally adopted throughout the colony. If a local body failed to select the day for the half-holi-day, his idea was that it would be the duty of the Government to at once fix on Saturday in that particular district. He had thought the Government would have to do this in Auckland, but he was glad that the Mayor and. Suburban bodies had done their duty and decided on Saturday for the half -holiday. As to closing of public houses for holiday, the proper place for a provision of this kind was in the Licensing Act. Hotel employees were entitled to a half-holiday ancl be would see that they got it. He dealt also witb other Labor Acts passed last session, and went on to explain the Masters and Apprentices Bill, Labor Department Bill, Eight Hours Bill, and Servants Registry Bill, which Government would go on with next session. As to the Undesirable Emigrants Bill, be intended to go on talking to the people of New Zealand about it until he had converied them to his way of thinking. Even now public opinion was gradually changing in its favour. Mr Reeves was accorded a most hearty vote of thanks for his address.