UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 7, 8 July 1931, Page 11

UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

SOME AMENDMENTS

INTRODUCED IN HOUSE

Amendments to the. Unemployment Amendment Bill were brought down ia the House of this afternoon by Governor's Message. One of the provisions makes it clear that.a person temporarily absent is only; liable for four instalments of the levy, whether it be the unemployment levy under tho present Act or the general unemployment levy under the Bill. To. prevent persons who obtain partial exemption from any particular instalment from escaping their liability for payment of tho emergency unemployment charge, an alteration has been, made to apply the charge to those not wholly exempt from the levy. The Bill provides, for penalties for; default for more than fourteen days in payment of any instalment of the general unemployment levy. This has boon amended to ono month, as provided in the original Act, as it was considered complications might arise in regard to those entitled to partial exemption on account of being a month, in hospital, etc., and also in the caso of new arrivals., Exemptions already granted by, Order-in-Council under the Act are to be continued in force. A new sub-clause gives the optiofi. in. eases of hardship of postponing ' the date of payment of the levy instead of granting exemption. This is to covfr eases where the persons concerned may; at.present have no money, but whose position'otherwise would not justify; exemption. It is proposed to make more clear tha fact that the tax on wages is to bo on exactly the same lines as on other incomes—that is, on wages earned after Ist August. A further point that is being mada lnoro explicit is that only those wholly exempt from the levy are to bo exempt from the emergency charge on income. ( ' Those people whose emergency unemployment charge is to be computed on two-thirds of last year's income will bo brought into line with those who are charged on their present salary and wages by making them pay on the one-third of this year's income on Ist May next, thus bringing both types of contributors up to 31st July, 1932. At present it is not clear that employers may deduct the levy under the present. Act as well as the general levy under the Bill. This is being rectified. Provision is being made whereby; special arrangements can be entered, into by large employers who may find it more convenient to pay iv cash, and thereby save cost of stamps. Power is being taken to pay the remuneration of tho presort- Board until the 31st July. An important provision empowers local bodies to contribute to expense^ :of local Unemployment GoumittepSj >