MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1934. THE SESSION—AND AFTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVX, Issue 268, 12 November 1934, Page 6

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1934. THE SESSION—AND AFTER.

! The session that closed at the end of last week in the usual rush of business was memorable for the number of important special reports presented, and for the action taken upon them. There were the reports of the Company Promotion Commission, the Dairying Commission, and the Native Affairs Commission, and the findings, majority and minority, of! the Parliamentary Committee on monetary matters. The most important of all was the report of the Dairy Commission. This contained not only a valuable survey of the industry's discontents, but framed a revolutionary set of measures for its good. The Government decided to implement at once the recommendations for the control of the industry, and defer those dealing with financial assistance to the farmer. So a Bill providing for an executive Commission to control this and other primary industries was hurried through, and Parliament is to meet again in February to discuss farmers' finance.

This Bill is quite sufficient by itself to lift the session out of the ordinary ruck. Even with the amendments that the Government conceded to strong criticism, it remains the most important advance in State control of industry that this generation has witnessed. A Committee of four, including the Minister of Agriculture, is given wide powers over primary industry. It can override any of the existing export Boards, and it can do what it likes in oversea markets. Nothing in New Zealand shows so clearly as this Bill the hold the idea of control has obtained in the modern world. Having been given this Bill, the country is now anxious to know who is going to do the controlling. The Government began by making membership of this all-powerful Commission a full-time job. On second thoughts it wisely struck out the provision that a member could not take other employment, but pressure in the House brought about its restoration. There are members who feel it is dangerous to appoint men to this position who have other interests. But where, so one is disposed to ask again, are the men of sufficient ability to be found who will be prepared to give their whole time to the Commission? Those who are fit for the position are already occupied in business, and will be loth to surrender these interests.

Another noteworthy feature of the session was the relief given in unemployment taxation. This did not extend to general taxation, but it was very welcome. The session is to be resumed in February, and it is probable that it will end in March, in which case the country will witness the usual but indefensible gap between the end of the financial year and the presentation of the Budget. If the Government will not do what is done in England—let the country know early in the year through the Budget what taxation it has to pay—then it should give the taxpayer a pretty fair idea in February what relief he may expect. The amount taken by the Government in general taxation is increasing, and the case for reduction becomes stronger and stronger as the months pass. It is not only the dairy farmer who needs financial relief.