BILLS IN HOUSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20060, 5 October 1939, Page 14

BILLS IN HOUSE

URGENCY GIVEN CONCILIATION PLAN VICTIMISATION ALLEGED METHODS OF UNIONS COMPULSORY LEVIES (l’cr Press Association.) WELDINGTON, this day. When the House of Representatives met yesterday afternoon, the acting-Prime Minister, the 'Hen. P. Fraser, moved for urgency for the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill No. 2, Statutes Amendment Bill, Finance Bill No. 2, Marketing Amendment Bill, and the Visiting Forces Bill. Mr. W. J. Poison (Nat., Stratford): What will we do after that? Mr. Fraser: We will have the rest of the day to ourselves. (Laughter.) The motion was carried. In moving the committal of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, said the objective of the measure was to rectify some anomalies. Mr. Poison, in questioning the advisability of including “blanket” clauses in industrial legislation, declared that the law had already been abused by the trade unions, which had used their power to take advantage of minorities in a manner which was repugnant to British ideals. Mr. Poison instanced the cose of the Wellington Caretakers and Lift Attendants’ Union, which, lie said, called a special meeting to discuss a motion that members who took shares in the proposed Labour newspaper should be exempt from the levy of 10s a year, but the contributions were increased by 10s a year by the vote of the majority at the meeting. The effect of this was to force a subscription from those who did not agree with the establishment of a Labour paper. Refusal to Subscribe He also quoted the case of the Wellington Clothing Trades’ Union circular, which stated that some of the girls had refused to subscribe towards the Labour daily and that, if they thus became in arrears, they would be struck off the union rolls and could not get employment in the industry. Mr. Poison concluded by stating that when the bill was in committee he would move an amendment to meet the position. Mr. S. G. Holland (Nat.. Christchurch North) said that members of unions were being victimised because of the law. It was an abuse of compulsory unionism. Mr. F. W. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga) said the country would be shocked by the facts disclosed. Unions were endeavouring to forward their schemes by threats. Illegal Suggestion Denied Mr. J. Thorn (Lab., Thames) said he had addressed over 100 meetings on his campaign to raise funds for the Labour dailies, and he had.never once suggested that an illegal course should be followed. No union, as far as he was aware, had ever done anything not permitted by the rules. While (he member for Stratford had denounced the procedure followed by trade unions, he had never objected to the same sort of thing being done by dairy factory companies, compulsory subscriptions to a certain paper being levied on suppliers. Mr. J. G. Barclay (Lab.. Marsden) referred to the fact that farmers had been compelled to subscribe to the newspaper Progress and were complaining up and down the country about it. Yet members of the Opposition were also complaining about trade, unions asking their members to subscribe to Labour newspapers. The Minister ol' Housing, the Hen. H. T. Armstrong, contended that it was decidedly unfair of members of the Opposition to take advantage of the bill, every clause of which had been approved by the interested parties, to bring forward hardy annuals as they had done that afternoon. “Could Not Trust Them” The Opposition had ottered the Government its co-operation, but their actions during the afternoon had shown that the Government could not trust them. Mr. Holland: You arc getting back into your old form. (Laughter.) Touching on the question of compulsory levies, the Minister said that if there were any persons who were past masters in extracting such levies it was the supporters of the Opposition party. The Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, said the Minister had contended the Opposition had been unfair, but Mr. Hamilton pointed out that members of his party had received a number of complaints from members of industrials unions regarding the compulsory levies. The whole question had been referred to the Minister of Labour in the form of a question, but the Minister’s answer had been unsatisfactory and the present was the only occasion on which the topic could be thoroughly ventilated. He added that hie law was being used for a purpose which had never been intended, and there was no doubt that workers were being victimised. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. p c. Webb, in a brief reply, said the Farmers’ Union had its own paper to advocate its own cause, and the farmers had to contribute to it. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Nat., Patca): That is not compulsory. The Minister added that he would decline to accept Mr. Poison’s indicated amendment. The bill was then committed. When the House resumed in the evening, rapid progress was made m ;he committee stages of the Indus-

trial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, No. 2. Mr. Poison moved an amendment providing that it should not be competent for any union to raise subscriptions for the purpose of making contributions to any political party funds. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Nat., Kaipara), in seconding the amendment said that only 500 out of 1300 waiersiders had agreed to make a contribution. The Minister of Labour said he could not accept the amendment. He -.vas opposed to' victimisation, but he was satisfied that someone had been pulling tbe leg of ihe member for Stratford. Mr. Webb added that be could not believe that 700 walersiders would refuse to contribute. The amendment was rejected by 44 votes to 23 and the bill was passed through committee without amendment. The committee then proceeded with consideration of the Statutes Amendment Bill. The Minister of Justice, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, described the additional clauses introduced last Thursday in a supplementary order paper. The clause prohibiting liquor ,at dances gave rise lo considerable discussion. The Hon. W. E. Barnard, who was speaking as a private member, said that those members who had opposed Ihe clause on the previous occasion were not unmindful of their duties and he felt sure that, had they heard the evidence which had been submitted to the committee, they would unhesitatingly support the clause. Mr. J. A. Roy commended the committee for bringing back the clause unamended. He said he had sufficient faith in the police to be sure that they would use the powers given them by the clause discreetly. The clause was carried without a dissentient voice. The bill then rapidly passed the remaining committee stages and was given the third reading and passed, as was .the Industrial and Arbitration Amendment Bill Number 2. The House was still Titling at midnight.