UNEMPLOYMENT DEBATE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1069, 5 September 1930, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT DEBATE

BILL PROGRESSES SLOWLY

AGE OF REGISTRATION Press Association WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Unemployment Bill was co n . sidered in Committee by the House of Representatives this evening. The exemptions clause was passed without further discussion. Mr. F. Waite (Reform—Clutha) SUggested that the age for compulsory registration should be 21, which was the age at which everyone had to register for electoral purposes. j t w.ould appear that administration expenses could be reduced in this manner. It was important to find work for all # boys over IS and in his opinion the registration age should be 16. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, said the Government had decided to fix the age at 20, after very careful consideration. He stated that the board would endeavour to provide employment for everybody, both over and under registration age. Mr. R. McKean (Labour—Wellington South) moved that the age should be reduced to 16, but the amendment was ruled out of order on the ground that it would involve an appropriation to cover the cost of printing necessary for additonal registration cards. Mr. M. J. Savage (Labour—Auckland West) said there seemed to be a general feeling in favour of reducing the age and he therefore moved that consideration of the clause be postponed to give the Government an opportunity of reconsidering the registration age. Mr. A. M. Samuel (Retonp— Thames) said he did not propose to vote for the amendment, which would further delay the passage of the measure. He had been assured the Minister could not accede to reducing the age. The amendment was rejected on a division by 47 votes to 20 and the clause was passed. The Minister accepted an amendment moved by Mr. J. A- Young (Reform —Hamilton) fixing the penalty for failure to register at not exceeding £SO, instead of not exceeding £IOO. The amendment was adopted and the clause was passed in this form. An amendment moved by Mr. P. Fraser (Labour —Wellington Central) seeking to increase the number of workers’ representatives on the board from fwo to four was ruled out of order on the ground that it involved an appropriation. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour — Napier) said that workers would have only' two representatives on a board of eight. He therefore moved that the number of members- to be appointed on the recommendation of the Minister be reduced from two to one, thereby increasing the proportionate representation of workers to two in seven. The amendment was rejected by 46 votes to 20. The' clause was passed and progress was reported, the House rising at 10.36 p.m.