PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 89, 15 December 1913, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

LABOR DISPUTES BILL.

[Per Phess (Association.]

Wellington, December 12

On the third reading of the Labor Disputes Investigation Bill in the House of Representatives this a'fterlooh, Sir'Joseph Ward read a number »f leading articles from papers supporting the Government, all urging that, the Government ought to ha|j| •iepped in and stopped the strike, ife greed that there could only be one; Government in a :country. The Goernment might have stepped in. and isserted itself. The Hon. W. Fraser said that had'

be House intervened, the mob in tho treet would have laughed at legislaion. The Government was justified i bringing special constables into Wellington. If a plebiscite of the peo■lc were taken, seventy-five<get: cent. f the people would endorse the action" f the Government.

Mr J. Hi Bradney contended that if 'ie Government had not done what hey did there would have been blood!ied.

Mr L.M.lsitt argued that Mr Mns\V must accept the responsibility >r rejecting the otter's ' help in mediation,; but; he could not ■ar the .lass ,\yhieij .the , refusal had icurred. The country would have to \\r that. ,',■.„: -

The Hon, A. L. Herdman contended hat a secret ballot amongst tho watt;ride workers would not have prevented the intimidation by officers of the union

hich qu. lie denied that Ve ulficiarii ; >6iu!e , ;:had'''not been used 3 fully as Lhey might have been. The M'ce was so small as to be useless

/ninsi the; lawless element then in 'ie city. It would have been madness o'havo risked a conflict with the strikrs before the special constables arriv-

1. The workers had been misled by band of men. who had no.sense, of \sponsibility, who were not prepared > abide by agreements, and who. had ) respect tor law and order. MrMassey, in reply to the criticism hich had been levelled, said that he treed with Sir'-Joseph Ward that

lore could.not be two.,Gover nmerits > the country. It was just the atunpt to supersede the regular govem-

, ent., that had , brought., „ about tho 'hole, trouble. Something -had. been 'id as to fhe cost of maintaining law 1 ld/order, hut he 'believed \that if his

irty.weht to "the to-morrow 1 -andT he would, ,'be,gjad 3 <j>f .the oppor,ii{ty__sevehtyrfive iper; cent.'' of ' tho -ople would support' wjiat the Go- ' >nime'nt had clone,', $f stated that,he ; ' id " received. 'letters | ' 'mil 4ilV parts bt the ep | uutr ; y endorsing "■q efforts of n"lnking law and. l! 'Tiie House 1 rose :at 5.30'.

When the House resumed at 7.30 m.,i Mr Massey, continuing his ieecif;' true that the

uintry had not got value for the expenditure on ' the .strike, but lie. Was , mfidfent that thp shortage .of, revjpiruetj li.'iis Iu8»i% (i dislocation j •ould ho ..recovered during the remain- J " l & months of_thfl jeprecated the introduction of ■ition,'to settle t..lie..strike., BJe. justi-jj led the. hall been taken, :o rescue! the. Wellington wharves from he strike pickets, whose permits lie] \\k to the House.,.. , Mr„.Ma*S9.^tf PiHl ascriptions of the riots in "Wellington Jim' reputable '."people, to show he precautions taken to preserve law rid order. He declared ftn. legisution in the world could' have prevent-

cl the riots. The Dill.was read a third timo and massed. The House wont into committee ►»« Jie Monopoly Prevention Act Amendment Bill, ( which passed without 'mendmeitti • ,

SHOPS AND OFFICES BILL

The Shop's and Offices Bill was taken

i Committee

The ( Bill was in charge of the Hon. &'. 1. B.| Fisher, but as. the Prime Miliis»r took the Bill, Mr H. Atmore askd if Mr Fisher was absent owing to Jness or to pressure of public busi-

The Prime Milliter replied that Mr Msher was not '. absent owing to ill—iess, ; but he would be, in a fc.v mmtes, addressing a public meeting in be Lyttelton electorate, where he had one at special invitation. Sir. Joseph Ward tried to ' ask the 'lime Minister whether he approved if a Minister going into an electorate hiring nn election, but the Chairman nled the question out'of order. Later, Mr A. H. Hindmarsh tried to :et in a reference to the matter, but '6 also wa ruled out of order. The Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill,was put through tlie Hnnl ■.'tastes. A clause providing for a whole 'oliday weekly for hotel and restaur--1 nt employes was altered to exclude from its .operation hotels where the' taff, excluding the "occupier and fam']y. is less than five. The House rose at ten o'clock to resume at 11 a.m. on Mnnday. '