Industrial Problems to be Investigated

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 220, 6 December 1927, Page 1

Industrial Problems to be Investigated

WORK DURING RECESS parliamentary inquiry /THE SUy'S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Monday. A committee, comprising eight members of Parliament four from the Government side, two from the Labour Party, and two from the National Party—is to be established to sit during the recess to discjss the industrial problem which is raised by the Govenment’s endeavour to amend the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. rHIS decision is welcomed by every section of the House as a more satisfactory settlement of the position than having the Bill forced through the House in the face of strenuous opposition. The Prime Minister suggested to the House this afternoon, immediately prior to the adjournment, that this committee would formulate a scheme upon which to work. He considered it inadvisable to discuss the ramifications of the organisation at the moment, but merely wished members to be acquainted with what was proposed. He suggested that Mr F. Waite, Sir John Luke, Mr. J. A. Sash, and the Prime Minister himself, should act for the Government, Mr. H. E. Holland and Mr. M. J. Savage for the Labour Party, and Mr. G. W. Forbes and Mr. E. A. Ransom for the Nationalist Party. A BETTER FEELING

The Government was anxious that a success should be made of the conferance which was faced with extraordinary possibilities. There were in it the elements necessary to bring the employer and the worker closer together than ever had been the case in the history of the country. The main object was the advancement of the country's interests and the formulation of recommendations that would bring about a better feeling between boss and man. It would also determine the position respecting the fanning industry, and decide whether the farmer was being treated so badly as many said he was. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, welcomed the constitution of the committee as the only preliminary step that could have been taken toward the ultimate settlement of the problem. So far as his party was concerned he suggested Mr. M. J. Savage and Mr. P. Fraser. Mr. J. G. BUiott, Oroua, protested against the town interests dominating those of the country on the committee suggested. SECONDARY AND PRIMARY Mr. W. D. Lysnar asked that two

conferences—one for the secondary industry and one for the farmers—should be established. Mr. G. W. Forbes, Leader of the National Party, agreed to the selection of the committee, and said he believed that much valuable work would be done by it. He trusted tbat it would not be called together too soon, but any sacrifice that members were called upon to make would be made in a splendid cause. The Prime Minister assured members that his suggestions were merely tentative, and he had no desire to allow one section to dominate the situation. Certainly the interests of the primary industry would be considered separately from those of the secondary industries.