LEGISLATION FOR THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 26 April 1907, Page 2

LEGISLATION FOR THE PEOPLE

SPEECH BY MINISTER FOR LAUOII. Per Press Association. Wellington, April 25. Speaking at a social,' the Hon. Mr. Millar, afler referring to (he administration of (he Labor Department, claim- ''<! it Imil the interest of Hie workers at jhoarl. 'I he Department was one of Hie I most important, of Hie Slate, because it had the interests of over two-thirds of Hie people of the colony e< lilted to Us charge. !t s usefulness had liecn im paired by I'arlianieni hot giving sullieienl nfliccrs for its administration, A lot had been done in labor matters, but a lot remained to be done. At the same time, they should not forget this, thai the only men who had a knowledge of the workers were those representing the places where the workers were situated They were the men who had the factories and shops under their eyes, Inn Uiey were in a minority in the House. When one made a proposal with reference lo labor matters, (lie experience of Hie past showed that every inch of (he road had to be foiurhl. owing lo the opposition of the country. |f ,]„. j. a i„„ movement was to make headway, ii

imisi have organised country labor! filial Hie workers got that 'they would never get the labor legislation tiiey were oniilled lo through the House. Let them look at Hansard and see what they tried to do with regard to the SaturdaV halfholiday, lie did not believe any edition had shown twenty-live out of a House' of eighty in favor of it. Continuing, he said he did not know what the present 'Parliament was but it may be more progressive in the way of labor legislation than past, session's. Last year they had (lie Arbitration Amendment Hill containing twenty clauses. It started with live. He had just as much chance of pulling that Bill through the House as lie would last night. The consequence was he dropped the whole Hill, and took one clause which was sullieient for him. It was to create tlie. Court of Arbitration an independent court from the Supreme Court. He said the delays in arbitration mutter had been of such a character as to demand that Parliament would put a stop to them in the future. This session be hoped to put through legislation which would do away with all delays that had taken place, and deal with disputes as they arose. The Workmen's Compensation for Accidents Act was another matter he intended bringing forward, and he hoped to deal with amendments to the Shops and Offices Act, Continuing, he said they all had one aim and one common object—that was the uplifting of their fellow-men. He hoped that iii the course of a year he and bis colleagues would show a good record for the time they had been in ollice. They iiad lost a great and powerful man in Richard John Seddon, and they now bad to take up the work and do the best they could. They had not the inana of him'. They bad to make their names, and get as good an opinion of the present Cabinet as existed of late. As far as he was concerned, he would do all he could.