MINERS' WAGES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 214, 29 November 1927, Page 13

MINERS' WAGES

PRIORITY FOR MORTGAGES

“MONSTROUS,” SAYS MR. HOLLAND (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. "A monstrous proposal.” were the words v/hich Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, applied to the amendment proposed by the Legislative Council In the Coal Mines Amendment Bill when the subject was under consideration in the House of Representatives this evening. The Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Mines, moved that the House should agree to an amendment exempting mortgages, existing at the time of the coming into operation of the Act, from the clause giving miners’ wages priority as a charge upon land, plant, etc. ' Mr. Holland expressed surprise at Mr. Anderson’s motion, and said that it was “a monstrous proposal” that miners’ wages should be forfeited in order to give preference to mortgages, simply because they were existing mortgages. There was no protection for wages if existing mortgages were exempted, as many mortgages ran on for years, and it would perhaps be a long time before the mortgages in force at the time of the coming into operation of the Act were discharged. Several other members supported Mr. Holland and Mr. Anderson moved adjournment of the discussion ill order to consider the point raised by Mr. Holland.