PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1931, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

THE HOUSE.

UNEMPLOYMENT AMENDMENT BILL.

SHORT TITLE PASSED

(By Telegraph —Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 8

The most important busi.no s which occupied tbe attention of the House of Representatives to-day was the Committee stages of the Unemployment Amendment Bill. When the House resumed at 2.20 p.m., the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes in reply to an urgent question by Mr .T. A. Nash said that tbe Government was Considering the question of, giving relief to those people who were unable to meet payments of interests and principal in connection with State Ad,vanccs Loans.

Several machinery amendments to the Unemployment Amendment Bill were introduced by Governor-General's message and reed into the Bill, which on the motion of the Prime Minister was granted urgency and entered the Committee stages. Hon. J. G. Coates, speaking on the short title of the Bill denied he had been in collusion with the United Party in the preparation of the Bill. None of the members of the Reform Party had anything to do with it and no commitment on it was entered into between the United and Reform Parties. The Prime Minister—l answer to Labour assertion that the people are starving. He stated he had been informed of this overstatement of the case by representatives of charitable institutions.

Hon. S. G. Smith replying to r. question relating to the tax on women, said that there were 35,000 females in New Zealand in receipt of salaries over £250 per annum, 6,500 were earning under £250 and 3,000 with incomes other than salaries over £250. It is not going to be a hardship to impose a levy on those women. He could not make a declaration that under the new Bill they could guarantee to find work for unemployed women on account of the difficulty of raising sufficient money. Mr H. E. Holland considered that there was no definite proposal in the Bill for finding work for uemployed. There was no justification for taxing women, unless they were a benefit under tbe Act. Notwithstanding the Prime Minister’s assertion he stated that there were many people not receiving sufficient food 1 to-day.

During the evening session, Mr Holland criticised the Government’s action in dismissing waterside workers at Westport and thus throwing them on the ranks of unemployed. Mr Forbes stated the watersidefs had refused to handle coal from two co-operative mines but were to handle it from other mines, Such discrimination could not be allowed and the Government's answer to them was-’-J'lf you won’t handle that coal you won’t handle any." The- debate on the short title was continued until 12.45 when it was passed, the House adjourning till 2.30 to-day.

THE COUNCIL. In the Legislative Council the Ad-dress-in-Renly was agreed to a.nd the Council adjourned at 5 p.m. until tomorrow.