PARLIAMENT Minister Refuses To Alter Duties Bill

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29021, 9 October 1959, Page 12

PARLIAMENT Minister Refuses To Alter Duties Bill

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 8.

The Estate and Gift Duties Amendment Bill was put through the committee stage in the House of Representatives tonight after Opposition speakers failed to persuade the Minister of Finance (Mr Nordmeyer) to remove the £5OO limit the bill imposes on superannuation benefits for which a widow can claim exemption from estate duty.

Mr J. T. Watts (Opposition, Fendalton) said that this limit was particularly unfair to widows of senior public servants. A number of these widows would get superannuation exceeding £5OO a year, and it was unfair they should have to pay death duty on the excess.

Mr T. P. Shand (Opposition, Marlborough) said that this sort of provision made it even more difficult to attract good men into the Public Service. The income of unskilled workers had risen by 105 per cent, since 1939, but the income of departmental heads in the Public Service had risen by only 42 per cent. But Mr M. A. Connelly (Government, Riccarton) said that widows would not be adversely affected by the £5OO limit, because the bill also extended the widow’s total exemption to £7500.

Mr Nordmeyer said thgre had to be some limit on the nondurable superannuation received by widows of self-employed men who belonged to superannuation schemes. Very few public servants’ widows would be affected.

RISE IN PRICE INDEX Mr Sheat’s Question

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 8.

The 12 points rise in the consumers’ price index between the second and third quarters of 1959, with a rise in the food index of eight points in August and another 10 points in September, was drawn to the attention of the Prime Minister (Mr Nash) in a question asked in the House of Representatives today by Mr W. A. Sheat (Opposition—Egmont).

Mr Sheat asked whether the Prime Minister would say what measures he had in mind when he promised in the 1957 General Election campaign to prevent any increases in the cost of food, and when he proposed to take any or all of the steps contemplated at that time. Mr Sheat said that the Prime Minister was reported as having said on November 21, 1957: “We will guarantee that the over-all cost of food will not go up under a Labour Government. When we take office we will set an index figure on food, and you will see a year later than you Will be able to buy the same amount for £l.”

Coalmines Council Of Three Members

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTONN, October 8.

As the House of Representatives put the Coalmines Amendment Bill through the committee stages tonight the Minister of Mines (Mr Hackett) accepted an amendment from Mr J, K. McAlpine (Opposition, Selwyn) and threw his own away on the same clause Mr McAlpine’s amendment sought to set the number of members on tnc Coalmines Council at a definite three, Mr Hackett framed his amendment to limit the council to three.

“My amendment makes it clear. Under the Minister’s amendment there could be two or even one,” caid Mr McAlpine. The Minister said he was prepared to accept the amendment.