§ 21. Mr. WALTER SMITHasked the Minister of Labour whether he has received any protests against the emergency measure providing for the payment of unemployment benefit by employers instead of through associations who have entered into an arrangement with the Department; whether he is aware that these associations were unaware of this emergency measure until it had come into operation; and whether, before adopting a similar measure in any future emergency, he will give full consideration to the views of associations who have arrangements for paying unemployment benefit to their members?
§ Dr. MACNAMARASo far as I am aware, only one association has raised objection to these emergency measures, which are, I think, generally recognised to be inevitable in the circumstances in order to make possible the payment of benefit smoothly and without delay to the very large numbers involved. Such steps as were practicable were taken to give notice to the associations immediately before the emergency measures were put into operation.