FROM THE GALLERY

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19888, 18 May 1936, Page 6

FROM THE GALLERY

WEEK IN PARLIAMENT. J

GOOD PROGRESS WITH BUSINESS. LONGER SITTING HOURS AHEAD. (From our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Sunday. Satisfactory progress was made with the work of Parliament in the House of Bepresentatives last week. Industrial legislation monopolised several of the nit tings, none of which was extended beyond the normal adjournment hour of 10.30 p.m. The Prime Minister, the Bight Hon. M. J. Savage, is hopeful of Parliament rising at the end of the month for a mid-winter recess of about five weeks, and with this end in view may ask members to sit longer hours from now on. with the possibility of a Monday sitting next week. Hours In Dairy Factories. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill was cleared off Lhe order paper last week, and definite progress has been made with the Factories Amendment Bill, which is now in the committee stages. In order to meet the position of small dairy companies the Minister of Labour, the lion. H. T. Armstrong, is amending the clause in the latter Bill providing for a six-day week in dairy factories and creameries. Factories employing not more than two men are to b© given exemption from this provision provided that compensating time off is given at the end of the season for the extra days worked. Additional policy measures to make iheir appearance were the Transport Licensing Amendment Bill and the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill — measures offering scope for exhaustive debates later on. The second reading de-bate on the Transport Bill will be opened on Tuesday night. Public Works Policy. An important statement on the Government’s public works policy was made during the week by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. The Minister announced that it was intended to launch a three-years' scheme at an estimated cost of £17,500.000. He also gave details of the industHal agreement made between his department and the New Zealand Workers' Union. Legislation to appear and be passed before the winter recess is a measure reorganising the Mortgage Corporation, a Rural and Urban Mortgages Adjustment Bill, a Bent Restriction Bill, and a Finance Bill, which will contain a clause restoring wages and salaries to the 1931 level. International Affairs. International affairs were discussed in the House on Friday when members were given an opportunity for a debate on New Zealand’s obligations as a member of the League of Nations, the value or otherwise of the League Covenant as an instrument of peace, and the age-old conflict ’between idealism and realities. From the onset the discussion was on non-party lines, it having been explained by Mr Savage that it was the aim of the Government to obtain a free expression of opinion of an international subject. All the speeches revealed a common desire for world peace, but several members had their doubts as to the conquest of the idealism of world peace over the realiti© of war and the greed of men.