POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21257, 31 August 1934, Page 10

POLITICAL NOTES

, —♦— s ! iFrom Our Parliamentary .Reporter.] j WELLINGTON, August 30. Christchurch Voting System j This bill merely gives the Christchurch City Council power, when conducting an election, to use the cross system of voting, instead of the system involving the striking out of names, said Mr D. G. Sullivan (Lab,, Avon) in the House of Representatives to-day, in moving the second reading of the Christchurch City Empowering Bill. Mr .Sullivan added that identical legislation had been secured by Auckland city two sessions ago. The cross system generally ensured a lower percentage of informal votes than the negative system. There had been no opposition to the bill, either before its presentation or while it was before the local bills committee. The bill was put through a;J stages and passed. Exemption from Tax The hardship caused to 'many elderly women through the payment of unemployment tax out of their slender resources has been the subject of representations to the Minister for Employment by Mr A. J. Stallworthy (Ind., Eden), who received the following letter to-day from the Commissioner of Unemployment:— "I have to advise that the Unemployment Board has resolved that it will exempt on the grounds of hardship female recipients of pensions under the Pensions Act, 1926, in order to place them on a similar footing with male pensioners who are exempted by the Unemploy ent Act." Mental Hospitals While he has nothing to criticise in the general conduct of mental hospitals, Mr E. J. Howard (Lab., Christchurch South) feels that little is done to bring the mentally deficient back to normality. Discussing the mental hospitals report in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Howard said that mental patients were "simply dumped into institutions and locked in." "If they get better," he added, "we just push them out again. Can the Minister say there is any atterript to bring them back to a normal state. During the year, one or two women with children in such hospitals have complained to me that the children did not receive any treatment, but were simply locked up. Neither are adults given treatment. The worst cases, the intermediate cases, and the mild cases are all placed higgledy-pigg-ledy in the same department. Patients who are bordering 011 viciousness are placed in the same department as patients who are harmless. I think the doctors do all they can with the means at their disposal; but I "would like the Minister to say what we do in New Zealand tc bring the mentally deficient back to normality.'' Mr Howard added that the mental hospital at Sunnyside had a very fair record. Not a "Best Seller"

j Hansard, the publication m which | the speec)les of members of Parlia- : ment are recorded, has not yet : emerged into the class of "best sellers." The annual report of the printing and stationery department tabled in the House of Representatives to-day states that 7225 copies were printed of each issue. The number of subscribers was 115, and the amount received from subscriptions and sales was £ll7. Nevertheless, the department showed a profit of £ 11,534 on the year, after avowing for interest on capital and riepieciation. There was a steady influx of orders during the year, with little variation in the volume of work. Special steps were taken to avoid overtime wherever possible. Local Bodies to Unite The Greymouth United Borough Rating Empowering Bill, granting the Cobden Town Board District authority to merge with the Borough of Greymouth, was passed by the House of Representatives today. Power is vested in the borough ! council to levy rates over the two ! areas in the same way as under the ward system of government. Th 3 bill was sponsored by Mr J. O'Brien (Lab., Westland). Unemployment Tax The exemptions from the payment of unemployment tax proposed by the Minister for Finance (the RU Hon. J. G. Coates) in his budget speech last week will not come into force until amending legislation is introduced to Parliament. This was made perfectly clear by Mr Coates when he presented the budget, but it is understood that some employers have been under the impression I that they are entitled without furjtlier notification to discontinue deducting the tax from the wages of I workers under 20 years of age. The j special exemptions forecast in tr.e budget, including wages of persons ! under 20, ''other income" of women to an amount of £SO. and income of certain classes of elderly persons, will be brought into effect by amending legislation to be introduced shortly. Until these proposals become law. therefore, deductions must be made in the usual way. The reduction in the general unemployment taxation from Is to Hid. .however, will come into operation on October 1 next—amending !'■ •;; • Jation to implement this is unnecessary. State Advances Greater activity on the part of the State Advances Board in the ne\t few months was predicted by tin.' Minister fur Finance (the fit. 1-1 nu. J. G. Coates), replying to a question asked by Mr P. Eraser (Lab., Wellington Central) in the Imprest Supply debate in the House of Representatives to-night. The board. Mr Coates said, would be prepared i consider new loans. "Just what that means." lie added, "1 am unable to saj'—other than this, that naturnl!y if will be on appraised value. Many mortgagors could raise money .m cheaper rates, so I would imagine that as time goes on the board will find it will be necessary to meet this tendency. For that reason it is possible that as the months go by we will see mure activity in the State Advances Office than clur;:vu the last three years. The matter has been under close consideration, but I am expecting before very long that a clear indication will be given of the policy to be followed." Mr Coates said he could say nothing about localities, but he suoposod that the Investment Board \wn.;d require to retain its good mortgage,.