DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT.

Te Puke Times, Volume II, Issue II, 16 December 1913, Page 3

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT.

"I do want to ask the Prime Minister, even at this late hour of the session, to say that we will not part as a Parliament before we deal with the strike in an effective way," declared Sir Joseph Ward in the House of Representatives last week. He urged that Parliament should not adjourn with the strike unsettled, with the uncertainty that existed in connection with different undertakings, and many innocent people suffering who were not directly connected with the strike He was not going to discuss the strike at that present moment, but he would take an opportunity when the Disputes Investigation Bill came before Parliament.

The Prime Minister : That is the proper time to so so. Sir Joseph Ward: There ought to be some opportunity given for a final settlement of this trouble. It is not ended. It extends beyond our shores and comes back to us like a boomerang. Sir Joseph added that he had received stacks of correspondence, but had not said a word, neither had replied to the misrepresentation concerning himself. He and the members of tiie Liberal Party had abstained from doing anything to interfere with what the Government had in hand in connection with t;r* strike. In his opinion a ;;etlK ment was just.as necessary bnviy as at the beginning- of the trouble. In replying to the Leader of the Opposition, 'the Prime Minister said they were hearing every day that the matter should be referred to arbitration, but he would like to ask thehon. gentleman—he would Ike to ask anyone—what there was to arbitrate about. Let hon. members go back to the position five weeks ago, when" people were panicstricken, with business at a standstill, the ports of the country closed, and neither imports nor exports. Compare that with the position to-day, when the ports were open, and business practically back to normal. Mr Russell: What about the coal mines ?

The Premier: Yes ; I admit that is still a difficulty, and 1 regret exceedingly that with the enormous supplies of coal at our door's wo have'to go abroad for our supplies. Sir Joseph Ward expressed the opinion that the whole question could have been settled live • weeks ago. Mr Hanan : Why not have legislated ? ' . Mr Massey : Has the lion, gentleman ever heard of a strike being settled by Act of Parliament ? I may say that I went to lengths of humiliating myself in trying to settle that difficulty five weeks ago that I would never do again. ilr Russell: You ought to have put the big boots on. The Prime Minister declared that it was impossible to settle the strike by legislation. The parties could be got together, and an attempt made to bring about an understanding. Strikes and lock-outs could ije prevented by legislation, but not stopped once they had started. Sir Joseph Ward: I disagree, and I am perfectly certain it could have been done, and later I will explain how. The Prime Minister added that since the strike; had taken place some thousands of men had joined the arbitration unions. What was to !.e done with these men? The pievious speaker could not an?, wit the question, and that wasfh..serious difficulty standing in *:h:> wiiv. What had taken pi ce In! given him an I many of his colleagues the most strenuous time of their lives, and he would not go through it again for all that could be given him. Nobody would be better pleased than himself when the trouble was at an end.