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Hon. Mr. Barr: I think that would meet with the wishes of most of them. Take the case of His Worship the Mayor of Wellington : he desires to deal with the question of unemployment insurance, and I think he was going to get sufficient copies printed or typed to place before the committee. Others who wrote want to refer to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Mr. Mourant, of the Bank Officers Guild, and who represents five thousand members, wants to submit certain data, which he has in type, with reference to their experience of the working of the Guild. There are only about four of these parties which desire to make these representations to the Conference or to committees, and have received these promises from the Parliamentary Committee. I think that some consideration should be given them in view of the interests they represent, because, as you will realize, gentlemen, this is a Conference which concerns New Zealand as a whole. Mr. Roberts: I think, Mr. Chairman, that your attention should be called to the paragraph in the report of the Business Committee presented to the Conference this morning, in which it is stated that "It is the opinion of the Business Committee that the several committees and subcommittees should refrain from calling evidence, except where, in the opinion of the committee, it is essential to have some expert evidence to elucidate any specific matter under discussion." That gives a committee the right to receive evidence : that is quite sufficient; and Ido not think the Business Committee had any desire or wish to disregard the opinions of the Parliamentary Committee. The idea of the Business Committee was that if evidence were called they did not know where it was going to end. On our side we have scores of people who wanted to give evidence before committees, but there would be nothing forthcoming which would not be a repetition of what we already have before us. This evidence, if it were admitted, would confuse the issue rather than elucidate it, and the Business Committee had to take that into consideration. With regard to the unions that have asked for representation, they have been given the opportunity to be represented at this Conference and they would not take the trouble to come, and I am not troubling about them. Mr. Mourant had. the opportunity to be elected, and he declined the opportunity to become a member of this Conference. He wanted to be in the middle of the House, like the Professors of Economics. I think that the Hon. Mr. Barr and the Parliamentary Committee can leave it to the Business Committee to deal with these people who have these representations to make, and I am sure that committee will facilitate their being heard. But, speaking personally, I think it would be quite inadvisable, in the interests of the work of this Conference, to allow everybody to come before the committees and give evidence, unless they have something new to give to the Conference. That is how I view the matter. On the other hand, we will do everything to carry out the wishes of the Parliamentary Committee — we can assure the Hon. Mr. Barr that we will do that. Hon. Mr. Barr: lam quite satisfied with the assurance of Mr. Roberts and Mr. Bishop that, as regards any pledge given by the Parliamentary Committee, the Business Committee is quite willing to grant facilities for receiving such representations. I am quite satisfied with that assurance as I understood it to be given by Mr. Roberts ; but you will realize that it was my duty not to miss this opportunity of placing the position before you. lam just as anxious as any one that there shall not be any repetition of evidence, and to see that the Conference progresses along the lines it has already followed, and in as satisfactory a manner as possible. I will accept that assurance, Mr. Chairman, and will notify the parties interested, and will communicate with the secretary of the Business Committee. Mr. Bishop : I suggest that the information should be obtained in writing so that the committee may consider it and decide whether evidence shall be taken further. Hon. Mr. Barr: In reply may I say that those persons who have made application have invariably submitted the subject-matter typewritten, where it has not been printed. The report of the committee was adopted. Printing of Supplementary Papers. Mr. Roberts : Before the Conference adjourns for lunch I wish to bring up a matter relating to the printing of certain papers at the end of the official report of the proceedings issued up to the close of the first series of meetings. I find there has been inserted in the printed report some bulletins of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. We have not had time to investigate the papers, and they have not been read. Therefore it will be generally understood that as far as this side of the Conference is concerned we are taking no responsibility for that matter. Mr. Turner : I also wish to make a similar remark in connection with the statement which the freezing employees put in. They have had printed in this report a statement on the question of over-capitalization in the freezing industry, and I would like it to be clearly understood that that report has not been before this Conference. It was not here when the paper was read, and this Conference has had no opportunity whatever of considering or examining the figures the employees have put in. Mr. Roberts : I agree with Mr. Turner. The same remark applies to Professor Murphy's speech to some of the farmers down in Canterbury. lam not taking any notice of it. Hon. Mr. Barr : I think I referred to those bulletins earlier in the Conference. They were forwarded to us rather late, and they did not come really within the category of the papers read by the experts. But they contain a considerable amount of valuable information, and of material even from the debating point of view, and it wa,s considered that they ought to be incorporated in this compilation.

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