§ 10. Mr. Stephenasked the Minister of Labour what machinery has been instituted to deal with cases of appeal with regard to change of employment where the question involved depends specifically upon the best use of the applicant's technical qualifications and where the ordinary committee has not the requisite technical or specialist qualifications to decide the issue?
§ Mr. AsshetonNo special appeal machinery has been set up. Where technical knowledge is necessary in order to ascertain how best to utilise a man's technical qualifications, this can be provided by means of the Ministry's technical officers and by witnesses
§ Mr. StephenDoes the Minister realise that there are a good many of these cases now, and that the court which is giving decisions is quite unqualified to do so, and will he consider setting up a separate court?
§ Mr. AsshetonI have tried to point out that although the court may not itself have technical knowledge, it can have the assistance of technical officers of the Ministry and also of technical witnesses.
§ Mr. StephenYes, but what arrangement is made for calling upon these technical witnesses?
§ Mr. AsshetonArrangements have been made for that to be done in all cases.
§ Mr. StephenBut is the Minister aware that that is not being done? In the case I gave to his colleague the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour it was not done.
§ Mr. AsshetonI am sorry, but I have not seen that case.
§ Mr. Neil MacleanHas the appellant the same right of calling technical witnesses on his own behalf?
§ Mr. AsshetonYes, he can call witnesses.
§ Mr. MacleanBut technical witnesses?