LOANS AND GRANTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1929, Page 5

LOANS AND GRANTS

FINANCE BILL CLAUSES

MINERS’ PHTHISIS PENSIONS

(Special to' "Star.")

WELLINGTON, Nov. 7.

New loans authorised in the Finance Bill introduced in the House to-day, include £4,000,000 for Public Works, an additional £1,000,000 for education purposes, and an additional £500,000 for the purpose of Forests Act. Another clause makes provision for loan moneys under the Native Land Act, railway improvements, swamp drainage, education purposes and Hauraki Plains, to be expended from April 1, 1930, only in accordance with appropriation by Parliament. The Minister of Finance is empowered to lend up to £lO,OOO to the Native Minister for advances to Natives, under the legislation of this session. The bill provides for the expenditure of £lO,OOO to assist in repairing earthquake damage to Public Works. The Budget announcement that the capital of the railways would be reduced by £8,000,000 is given legislative authority in a clause which also provides for the repeal of the authority to repay out of Consolidated Fund any losses incurred in operating branch railway lines.

The question having arisen as to whether receipts for money handled by savings banks are subject to stamp duty, a clause in the bill makes it clear that they are to be exempt from duty. Special postal stamps, of the denomination of 2d, half of the proceeds of which will be devoted to the fund for the campaign against T. 8., are to be issued.

Special provision is contained in the measure regarding the rate of pension payable to children of soldiers in receipt of pensions for total blindness. The rate is not to be dependent on any property or income of the soldier his wife or any of his children. An announcement of the Minister of Mines regarding an extension of the pension provisions to miners suffering from miners’ phthisis, is contained in the bill. Unmarried men are to receive 25/- weekly, married men 25/-, increased by 10/- weekly in respect of the wife and 10/- in respect of each child. In the case of a widower, the pension is to be 25/- weekly, increased by 10/- weekly in respect of each child. This allowance is subject to a reduction by £1 for every complete £1 of the actual annual income except the pension, in excess of £lO4. The maximum pension is to be £4/5/a week.

The bill contains an extension of authority enabling employers to become contributors to the National Provident Fund on behalf of workers.

Friendly Societies are to be authorised subject to certain conditions to transfer surplus funds from one benefit fund in aid of any deficient fund.

A general clause in the bill validates contributions made by local bodies to the earthquake relief fund.

SUPPLEMENTARY VOTES Items of interest in the Supplementary Estimates are as follow.— Additional subsidies to hospital and charitable aid boards £32,000. Expenses in connection with the overhaul of N.Z.G.M.V. Maui Pomare, £2940. Charges in connection with Commission reporting upon the position of physically and economically incapacitated soldiers £2OOO. To Asoka column in front of the new Government Buildings, Delhi, India, £6OO. Native Bird Protection Society, £5O. Polynesian Society £250. Royal Life Saving Society (additional) £5O. War Funds Council, for South African veterans, £250. Cost of packing private effects of ex-Ministers, £76. Grant in aid in connection with the allocation of proceeds of the sale of Christmas stamps (anti-tuberculosis campaign) £lOOO.

Mothers Help Division (grant in aid) £l5O. Women’s National Reserves (residential nursery) £2OO. Subsidy to New Zealand Nurses’ Memorial Fund, £5OO. Charges incidental to aero pageants £lOOO. Purchase of new lighthouse tender (on account), £38,000. Expenses of Unemployment Investigation Committee, £465. Extension of instructional work in connection with rural industries, including the fostering of boys and girls’ agricultural clubs (additional) £2OO. Additional pork bonus £5OOO. Carriage of lime for bona fide farmers (additional) £5OOO. Assistance to Tobacco Industry (recoverable) £lOOO. Subsidy Bluff to Milford Sound steamer service £2OOO.

Grant towards the cost of the travelling expenses of the Allan Wilkie, Shakespearian ‘Coy., on the tour of N.Z. £750.

Additional amount required for main Highways construction £50,000. Additional charges in connection with State Forest plantations sand dune reclamation and afforestation £126,120. Repairs to the memorial of the late Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, £135. Extension of the breakwater of Westport Harbour, £5OOO. Puchase of the dredge Maui, £16,000. Repair of the earthquake damage at Westport harbour, £lOOO. Compassionate allowance to widow of D. M. Wilson, General Manager’ of the Tourist and Health Resorts Department £lOOO. , Compassionate allowance to widow of Captain Bollons, master s.s. Tutanekai, ,£765. Expenses of Justice Fraser’s visit to Australia re the administration of the Commonwealth arbitration laws. £255. Bonus to employees of the Legislative Departments, £l2O. Expenses of the inquiry re the employment of Maoris by Chinese in market gardens, £l5O. Additional travelling allowances and expenses of Ministers, £3,150. Private secretaries (additional), £1920. Conveyance of ocean mails (New Zealand-Australian service) for five months, £15,000.

Salary of Commissioner of Transport, £lOOO. Expenses of Transport Advisory Council, £l5OO. A LONG SITTING. WELLINGTON, November 8. Yesterday’s sitting of the House, for what was anticipated to be the second last day of the session, was one of the longest that has occurred for many years, lasting from 11 a.m. until 4.30 a.m., with intervals for lunch and tea. The last of the Government’s legislative proposals for the session were presented, the Finance Bill and Supplementary Estimates being introduced and passed Discussion on the Supplementary Estimates was one of the longest in the memory of most of the older generation of Parliamentarians. The proposed variation of the principle of losses on branch railway lines being made up by subsidy from the Consolidated Fund, contained in the Finance, Bill, was challenged by the Leader of the Opposition on the ground that, it would not enable losses to be shown, but the clause was retained by 42 votes to 22. The Acting Leader of the House (Mr Forbes) acceded to the request for the deletion of another proposal in the Finance Bill, authorising the Local Gov ernment Loans Board to validate variations of the purpose for which a local body loan is raised. The House adjourned at 4.28 a.m. The Legislative Council kept pace with the House all day, passing, without amendment, the measures which were sent forward. MEMBERS’ £lOO BONUS. (Special to “Star.") WELLINGTON, November 8. A clause in the Appropriation Bill authorises payment to Members of the House of Representatives, other than Ministers, of a special allowance of £lOO