UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1930, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

OBJECTIONS RAISED

BY ALLIANCE OF LABOUR DEPUTATION.

■ tty Telegraph--Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Aug. 25

Opposition to the provisions of the Unemployment»Bill as returned to the House of Representatives, ’Avas expressed by a deputation from the Alliance of Labour, Avhicli Avaited on the Prime Minister this afternoon. The chief spokesman adopted a someAvhat threatening attitude, declaring that if the Bill passed, the Alliance Avould h<compelled to ask its members not to assist in carrying it out. He also said that the Alliance AV.ould, not be a party to any political truce Avhile important Labour legislation Avas held up and unemployment Avas increasing The General Secretary - of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, Mr A. Cook, said: We trust you Avill never agree to this Bill becoming IaAV unless radically altered in conformity with some of the recommendations placed before the Labour Bills Committee. The workers don’t Avauc td escape their fair share, but when the lower-paid 'Avor'-m----is asked to pay the spine' tax'as'the man who receives"an income possibly of £SOOO or £IO,OOO, we, think Ave are quite justified in objecting. Even if the Bill becomes la.Av, we will opnose

” in every possible Avay. We Avill be compelled to ask our 'Members not to assist in carrying it out.” He said it was generally assumed that a truce existed between the political parties. He continued :—“I want’to say that, if there is a truce, the industrial o>ganisat'ions are not a party to it whib> important Labour legislation is held up and an army of unemployed is groAV ing.”

Mr Glover said it Avas rumoured that there Avas a. compact existing betAveen the three political parties. The Alliance of Labour was not a party to any compact. He added:—“We enter the strongest possible protest against the Prime Minister leaving New Zealand at a. time Avhen there is so much discontent, stagnation and unen,ploymen t.

The President of the Seamen’s TTn-, ion (Mr F. P. Walsh) said that pub--1 isliod figures shoAved there Avere 5000 .iien in the five centres looking for work. “Last Aveek,” he said, “you '•hartered a vessel to bring in hardwood sleepers. It was a Danish vessel. cmoWing Danish seamen, uavfng half the wamss paid to New Zealand seamen, and ■ working much longer hours. You omnlov vessel- worked hv r ‘oolie la bon ”, We have eighteen vessels laid up in New Zealand. Charters '■“ould h' l ndvmi to them, and they could absorb manv men standing unemployed on the beaches in Nevr Zealand.”

PREMIER IN REPLY,

WELLINGTON, Aug. 25

The Prime Minister, replying to the deputation, said that the Government' was still doing, and had done, more than any other Government to deal with the unemployment -problem. It had something like 16,000’ men on public works at present. It was also offering £2 for £1 subsidy to the local bodies to relieve the position* The money thus used had to he borrowed, and there was a limit to financial resources.

Mr .Forbes continued .'---“It seems inevitable that rationing will have to be introduced if we are to provide employment for everyone. It seems to he coming fast.” A deputatiohist: “What do you mean by rationing?” The Prime Minister : “Giving a man work for a certain time, and then standing him aside .to give another man a chance.”

When the deputation talked of starvation, he said he would like to know where that was possible in the Dominion when there was their Hospital ann Charitable Aid Board organisations with the special duty of preventing snch a thing.

“As for this talk about my leaving New Zealand,” continued Mr Forbes, “do you mean to say that, because I leave New Zealand a while, the position of the Government comes to a standstill? Mr Ransom is acting Prime Minister, with full authority to do all he can.” Mr Walsh: “And the understanding that he cannot be shiftetfl” The Prime Minister: “The understanding is that there will be no,party advantage taken. Anything coming forward will be discussed and fought out on the merits of the Bill.” When the deputation talked about what vfc would do if the Unemployment Bill were passed in its present form, his answer was that the Bill had been put forward. It was for Parliament to decide its final shape. He did not like to bear people, sav that they would not have the. Bill because it did not suit them. “You will not get the Bill, if you act like that. But you will get a fair Bill. That, Parliament- will give you.” Mr Walsh: “Ts it fair to tax a man thirty shillings?” The Prime Minister: “I cannot dictate to Parliament what it shall do! I want to see an Unemployment Bill, because I. believe, despite what vou say, that much good can be done. Parliament represents all sections, and it is not going to be browbeaten.”

Mr Cook: “The workers will not be browbeaten in what they will accept!”