SPECIAL COMMITTEES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 103, 4 May 1931, Page 9

SPECIAL COMMITTEES.

APPOINTMENTS PENDING. LOCAL BODIES' FINANCE. HAWKE'S BAY REHABILITATION. (By Telegraph.-rPress Association.) T WELLINGTON, Sunday. Having secured relief from the strain of the emergency session of Parliament the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. G< W. Forbes, has been able to direct attenr tion to various important and urgens questions arising out of legislation passed during the two months. One of the first decisions to be made Will be that concerning the appointment of members of both the Hawke's Bay Readjustment Court and the Rehabilitation Committee. The Court will consist of a. president,: who may be either a past or present member of the Supreme Court Bench, and two associate;. It was originally intended that the Chief Justice should act as president,' but an amendment :to the bill provided that a retired; judge could be chosen. It is believed there is a possibility of Sir Walter: Stringer, at present chairman of the War Pensions Appeal Board, being appointed president of the new Court.

The Government is contemplating the. abolition of the Pensions Appeal Board in .ita present- form, and if previous; intentions . are adhered to Su , Walter Stringer, would be free to accept the position, for it is proposed to delegate pensions appeal cases to .magistrates in each centre. •

The Prime' Minister is ; anxious that both the Adjustment Court and the liehabilitation. Committee of five members should, Jetartwork, as soon'as ; possible. An announcement may be expected shortly..,.- • . . . . • , . - : . One of the. m'oet. important inquiries in .recent- years is to- be made-by: a cbmmiegion- to be set up; soon'to" investigate •the incidence of -local^"body- taxation ani the -Iposeibility ■ of 'effecting • economiee inthe expenditure of all .local authoritiee, including .-hospital and charitable aid boards. The Government is considering, the membership of this Commission., ■ ; . , ••. . ' , ■ >■;■■ The growing burden of the cost of io tii» country - wfll forat the baek of bj * «om-

mittee, the. personnel of which, will, be announced shortly. It will not go into questions of educational policy except in so far as that affects expenditure, so that there should be no danger that the recommendations of the Recess Committee on Education will be over-ridden. It ie believed that a readjustment of wheat and flour duties will be made to permit the price of the 41b loaf to be reduced from Id to ljd. Should the duties be altered the revised scale will not operate until early next year. The question of highways finance will be investigated by a Select Committee of the House of Representatives next session.