"A STONEWALL"

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1920, Page 5

"A STONEWALL"

. THE ARBITRATION BILL. LABOR CONTINUES ITS FIGHT. By Telegrapn,—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. In committee on the Arbitration Bill in the House of Representatives this afternoon, Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) moved to report progress, and the debate on this amendment was continued throughout the afternoon. Labor members maintained a determined desire to report' progress, which desire was so consistently expressed as to amount to an obvious "stonewall." By 4.55 p.m. their right of making four speeches of ten minutes each on this particular motion was exhausted, and they were compelled to allow it to go to the vote, the amendment being rejected on a division by 43 votes to 18. The debate then reverted to the merits of clause i, which provides that a commissioner shall give not less than seven days' notice in the local newspapers of the day and place of hearing, and of the nature of the industrial dispute to be heard.

On this proposal the same "exhaustive" methods of discussion were resorted to, and were proceeding at the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. On Resuming the debate in the evening, the Minister announced that he would agree to strike out clause 2, and this was agreed to. NEW CLAUSE THREE. The committee proceeded to discuss a new clause 3 moved by the Minister. The new clause reads as follows: "In any proceeding before the Council or Court relating to any industry, any organisation of employers, or any organisation of workers consisting of not less than fifteen members, connected with that industry in the locality to which the proceeding relates, shall be entitled to appear and be heard in every respect 83 if they were parties to such proceeding, if, in the opinion of the Commissioner, where such proceeding is before the Council, or of the Court where such proceeding is before the Court, such organisation of employers or workers or members thereof may in any manner he affected by any result of such proceeding." The Minister said lie could not see any reason why an outsider should not have representation before the Court. Things could not re=t as they were. He might .not be Minister for Labor next year, but ho would recommend that the Government and everyone affected by a dispute should be represented. Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch .South): "The Government is represented by the Conciliation Commissioner." The Minister: "No; the Commissioner is an arbitrator."

Mr. D. 0. Sullivan (Avon): ''The' whole object is to keep down wages." The Minister denied this, adding that the clause was not harmful in any way. It simply allowed any body of employers or employees interested to be represented in the proceedings in a dispute. The clause was essential in the interests of the vast majority of the workers not represented by unions. '■GERMS OF SERIOUS TROUBLE," Mr. Holland said it was significant that the members on the Reform benches were silent on this matter. The amendment of the clause moved by the Minister did not affect the principle of the measure. Tt permitted certain outsiders to come in and get benefits accruing from efforts of properly organised unions. The clause contained the germs of serious industrial trouble, and it challenged the very existence of the present industrial organisations under the Arbitration Act. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) suggested that it was not fair that two organisations should be before the Court discussing one dispute. It should meet the objections of those opposed to the clause if a proviso was added requiring proposed new unions to show that their interests could not he properly served by the existing organisation in their injt'islry by reason of distance or other considerations of convenience. Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki) said that no necessity had been shown for special provision for the formation of guilds or secondary unions in the same industry. After the supper adjournment the discussion on clause 3 was continued, being confined to members of the Labor Party, and giving every promise of being pro' tracted. NEITHER SIDE GI'.'ES WAV. At one o'clock. Mr. P. Eraser (Wel- • lingtou Central) moved to report progress on the ground that more important Bills than the one before the House, notably the Finance Bill, had to be considered, and clear brains and visioif were necessary to do them justice. On a division the amendment was lost by ,1!) votes to lu, and the discu.-sion was resumed. At 2 o'clock, when the telegraph office closed, ihe discussion was still proceedI ing. with no immediate sign of either side giving way.