THE ESTIMATES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 7

THE ESTIMATES

SEVERAL ITEMS PASSED

HARDSHIP. IN PUBLIC SERVICE

The House of Representatives was occupied last night with the lengthy debate upon the Estimates.

The first item considered was that o£ £32,858 for the Treasury Department.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilfoid) moved that the estimate be reduced by £5 as an indication that the hardship clause of the Public.Services Expenditure Adjustment Act pi 1921 had not been given effect to. ,

The Prime Minister (the Right Hon.W. i l. Massey) raised a point of- order on the ground that there had not been a single appeal under the hardship clause so far as the Treasury waS concerned.

The Chairman, (Mr. J. A. Young) ruled that the indication was irrelevant; but thai the amendment stood.

Replying to discussion, Mr. Mftßsey said that the hardship clause was administered by the heads' bf Departments, sitting as a special committee, known as the Uniformity Committee. Mr. A. L. Monteith (Wellington East) asked whether it would hot be better to have an independent board. The Prime Minister replied that tha heads of Departments were closely in. touch with their staffs, and an independent committee would take more than six months to gain sufficient experience £o be able to discharge ita duties properly. .

Mr. R. Masters (Stratford) suggested that the regulations were so. strict-and narrow that the members of the' committee were unable to give play to their feelings in considering anomalies/ Mr. 0. J. Hawken' (Egmorit) said it was clear from the fact that there Had been no appeals uhder ■the hardship clause that the salaries were fairly uniform, and that thero..was"pretty general satisfaction in the Civil Service.,'.. Mr. Mouteith's ideii. was that there had been no appeals because the Civil servants 'knew' ffie'clausVHvas'inoperativc. ■■•■• ■'-■■"'

After further discussion, the amendment -was defeated by 31 votes to 29. Oh the motion. that J353J17 be.provided for the Land and-Income Tax Department, the Leader of -the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wiiford). moved mi amendment, that the item bo reduced by £5 as an indication that the section of the Finance Act providing for the imposition of a tax of "2s 6d in 'the.,£ on local body debentures should be repealed. ■ The amendment was defeated by £1 votes to 17.. -.'-.. ' ..'vINCOME TAX EVASIONS. Messrs...W: A.; Veitcli (Wanganui)- and ', R. Masters (Stratford), urged that local, agents of the Land and Income Tax D'e-'----partmeut should be appointed in the various centres in order to ensure that there wero no evasions 1 of income tax.. SUeli agents, they contended, would also', be of great assistance to the people in the different provinces in connection. | with the formulation of their returns.' The Prime Minister stated that there were local officers a,t Auckiafld and Hatniltoii, arid, he believed; in other places as well. The vote was passed. ; The vote proposed- for the Stamp Duties .Department was . £80,104. .'Mr. 8.. Masters (Stratford) asked the Prime Minister if it was proposed to do anything in respect to stamp duties so far as firms were concerned, it had been stated that certain people ascertained the takings of picture companies by securing figures from the Stampß Department as to the amount paid in stamp duty on, takings.. • . .;., Mr. Massey: "Quite improper. Shmonths in gaol is the penalty for that." After further discussion, the claus* was passed. . - UNIVERSAL MATERNITY BONUS. Mr. F. N. Bartram (J3rey Lynn) moved that the vote of £21,493 to ihe National Provident and Friendly Societies Department should be reduced by £l as an indication that the time had arrived when the maternity bonus should be paid to every mother. He considered New Zealand was behind the times in that respect* as the bonus was being paid as a general thing in other, parts of the world. Mr. H. E. Holland (Bnller) •■supported the amendment, which was defeated on a. division by 36 votes to 24. ......

The House adjourned at 12.50 a.m. after passing a vote of £173,257 for public buildings, domains, maintenance of roads, and irrigation works..