PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 174, 24 July 1923, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

KOTEB *HOM THE QAMJXKT. j (By TelegrapC— Parliamentary Importer.) WELLINGTON, Monday. . NEWMARKET QUESTIONS. Mr. J. A. Lee .'(Auckland East) gave ,otice of Wβ intention to ask to.MP" rter of Lena.-"whether he.will mtroluce legislation to prevent lessees of Xwn lands rackrenting J"^"*'*", ,1 .riiethe* He is aware that- the shopkeepers of Newmarket are being n»cKrented. by.grasping Crown tenants. j AUCKLANP->VELLEMGTO?r TRAINS. nvir. J. A. Young (Hamilton) asked t'bi Minister of Railways "whether he. will, when' revising railways timer table on the Auckland-Wellington section, send a responsible officer of Jtlw lepartment to Hamilton and other WaiIcato towns to consult with local reprelentatire bodies"; :also "whether he will take into consideration the need for reinstating the second North Island Main Trunk express." INFLUENZA VICTIMS. The Hon. C..J. Parr, Minister: of Education, .who 'has been laid up for two Jays wjfchr influenza, was able ..to resume duty at hi 3 office to-day. Two .other Ministers .absent .from the. houee tonight were stated to be suffering from the prevailing complaint. INDUSTRIOUS MR. SIDEY. . j imagination is--becoming more fertile than ever," complained the Prime Minister, speaking about Mr. :T. X.! Sidey (member for .Dunedin South) in the House to-night. . Mr. Sidey had quoted Hansard to show a changed attitude on the part of the Premier, who declared ofhie critic, "Honestly, I believe lie spends the whole of the recess looking up my speeches. And now," he added with mock indignation, "he has gone back to 1905. He tried to create the impression that I despotically pushed a 'bill through the House. It would be impoaeible for mc to do co." Mr. Wilford: Tee, now. COOK ISLANDS. The Cook Islands Amendment Bill, which passed its second reading in the House this evening, provides for the transfer of Cook Island prisoners from New Zealand to Western Samoa, and also direct from the Cook. Islands to -Western Samoa. .At the end of their terms they are to be sent back to the Cook Islands. The bill also gives the Native Land Court power'to determine any question as to the right of any person to hold office as an Ariki or other native chief. Hitherto.the resident commissioner has had to decide any disputes of this nature. The bill was read a second time, pro forma, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. ' ' INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT. (Referring to a discussion by the Auckland Chamber of: Commerce on the fact that income tax assessments have been sent out based on last year's rates.. Mr. Maeeey states that the assesgmente are subject to any -reduction which 'Parliament may make. STAMP PUTIEB BILL. Discussing the Stamp Duties Amendment Bill,'the Hon. iD. Buddo (Kaiapoi) suggested that the duty, on receipts should be reduced from 2d to Id on receipts for soma up t0.£20, and that the duty on cheques be reduced, from 3d to Id. This, lie said, would encourage the use of cheques and swell the revenue. The Minister of Justice, the Hon. C. J. Parr, said that, the stamp duty on options was established by custom, and there was'full provision for a refund when an option was not exercised. The mortgage duty was also, of several years' standing.. Mr. J. A. Young (Hamilton) suggested, the Government should make a State monopoly, of. mortgage indemnity . insurance, and allow the Stamp Department to administer it. The bill was read a second time and Teferred to the' Statutes Revision Committee.