PARTY HATCHETS

Evening Star, Issue 22325, 29 April 1936, Page 16

PARTY HATCHETS

EMPLOYMENT TAXATION DISCUSSION

WHY RETAIN “ANTEDILUVIAN METHOD" [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, April 28. The party hatchets were out and sharpened during the discussion on the taxation portion of the Employment Promotion Bill in the House to-day, Opposition members making a strong point of the Government maintaining the power to increase the employment tax by Order in Council, though this was characterised by Mr Schramm (Labour) as humbug. The Minister of Finance remarked that the power was there to reduce the tax, but’ immediately the Government found circumstances suitable it would throw overboard all legislation of that kind. Mr Kyle (lliccarton) declared that lie had expected something better from those heaven-born statesmen who had told the people that they would abolish the antediluvian things the former Government did. Mr Parry: And we do it all right. Mr Armstrong (Minister of Labour) accused the former Government of tiding over the election by shanghaiing thousands of men from relief works to public works. He found on taking office that the expenditure of the employment fund was £IOO,OOO a week, and its income £67,000, and at that rate the tax would have had to be increased to Is 6d in the £. Mr Bodkin suggested that the acid test had been put on the Government in respect of this tax, and it had elected to maintain the old impost, thus violating its pledges. Mr Schramm: Who is a political humbug now? When the hon. member came to this House lie described the member for Kaipara as a fool. Now look where he is sitting. (Laughter.) Mr Smith (former Minister of Employment) challenged the statement that the former Government was spending 50 per cent, more than the fund’s income. His information from officials differed from the Minister’s statement. The last Government proposed that the expenditure should come from the unemployment tax plus a certain amount from general taxation, and a limited amount of loan money for Public Works. “ Try and be a bit more just,” he urged. 1 Mr Semple (Minister of Works) suggested that if. the Opposition thought the unemploymcnt'tax unjust, why did they not alter it when in power. It was sheer unadulterated humbug. They dangled an artificially rigged bunch ol carrots in front of the relief workers, and ho was prepared to go through the old Government works list and expose every item as the most futile,’ stupid, and ridiculous things ever put before the country. The Chairman of Committees intervened with the’ request that members should talk about the Bill.