Ordinance in Sept.

After Three Years' Tinkering P-NG Labour Ordinance in Sept.

THE long-awaited “Reformu lated”* Native Labour Ordin ance is to be brought down at the September meeting of the Papua-New Guinea Legislative Council. Minister Hasluck. during his June visit to the Territory, gave a three-page preview of what was in store.

The draft legislation has been back and forth between Port Moresby and Canberra for the last three years, and on the score of elapsed time, anyway, should be the perfect legislation.

Provision in the new legislation will be made for workers under agreement—two classes, i.e., those who are accompanied by wives and families; and those who are not.

And also for casual workers.

All workers will be issued with work-cards —one advantage of which is said to be that employers can, by looking at the card, see whether the applicant is already under contract to work for someone else.

This may be a step in the right direction, but it raises the interest ing question as to what the pros pective employer is to do if the prospective employee is under agreement to someone else. There will be no penal clauses under the new legislation (nor was there in the old).

Mr. Hasluck said that Terri torial, through their representa tives on the Legislative Council would be able to debate and com ment on this vital legislation.

That is true, too, as far as it goes.

But once the bill gets as far as the Legislative Council, nothing short of several of the official members swooning at the crucial moment, will prevent its being forced through the Chamber by the official majority. * New officialese.