PARLIAMENT

Grey River Argus, 12 March 1938, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

AMALGAMATION SCHEME BILL.

IPer Press Association]

PARLIAMENT BLDGS., March 11, In the House of Representatives this afternoon, the Select Committee to which had been referred the Local Bodies Amalgamation Schemes Bill reported that it was unable to complete consideration of the matter this session.

The. Minister in Charge of the Bill, (Hon. W. E. Parry) informed the House that he would reintroduce the measure next session, and would give all interested parties a full opportunity of tendering evidence to the committee.

■The Thames Borough Commissioner Amendment Bill was put. through the remaining stages and passed without discussion.

Legislative Council PENSIONS BILL PASSED’. PARLIAMENT BLDGS., March 11. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Pensions Amendment Rill was put through the committee stages and passed. The Council adjourned until 9 p.m. When the Legislative Council resumed at 9 p.m., the Thames Borough Commissioner Amendment. Bill, the Native purposes Bill, and the Iron and Steel Industry Bill were each read a first time. The Council adjourned at 0.5 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. to-morrow. STATUTES AMENDMENT. SIMPLIFYING LEGISLATION. PARLIAMENT BLDGS., March JI. The Statutes Amendment Bill was introduced in the__Hou.se of Representatives by Governor’s message tonight, and read a first time.

The Bill, which comprises some twenty-eight clauses, amends various statutes, many dealing with routine matters. Some of them are designed to prevent the inconvenience at present being experienced in many cases. The provisions merely enact what was believed to be the present law, and which has been found is not the case in actual practise. In one clause, provision is made for dairy farm workers to agree to accept leave between milkings, instead of a half-holiday. The Housing Survey Act is extended to the end of the present year in another clause, and several machinery amendments are also made in the Lessees’ Rehabilitation Act, the Motor Vehicles Act, and the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act. NATIVE TRUST FUND USES. PARLIAMENT BLDGS., March 11. The House of Representatives resumed at 7.30 p.m. Moving the committal of the Native Purposes Bill, the Acting Minister of Native Affairs ‘'Hon. F. Langstone) said that the Bill was in the nature of a “washing-up” Bill, and he proceeded to outline the measure on lines similar to those he used on the introduction of the Bill. Sir Apirana Ngata (Nat., Eastern Maori) said that the Bill had been subjected to fairly close scrutiny by the Native Affairs Committee, and there was nothing in it to which the House would take exception.

Sir A. Ngata referred to the funds which had accumulated from Maori properties under the Board of the Native Affairs, Native Land Trust, and Native Trust Board, and said that those who were in charge of these funds were too jealous of allowing them to be used for communal purposes. The pakeha departments considered such expenditure wrong, but the Maoris believed it was right to build communal meeting houses. He urged the Government to set up some general machinery to deal with such funds, and some general authority to authorise the payment of Maori funds for worthy objects. The Bill was committed, was passed through the committee stages, and was read a third time with practically no discussion.

TAX EVASIONS. Urgency was accorded the passing of the Finance Bill (No. 2) on the motion of the Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser).

Moving the second reading, the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. Nash) outlined the various provisions in the Bill stating that the clause relating to the fixing of dates of annual balances for income tax returns from companies would provide a formula which would prevent quite a lot of income tax evasion, as the result of some companies consistently altering the dates on which their financial year ended. Hon. Mr Nash explained that companies had evaded tax for some months. The amounts of tax thus evaded came in one case to over £6OOO, and in another to over £7OOO. The Leader of the Opposition (Hon. A. Hamilton) said that there was nothing of a very contentious nature in the Bill, and. Mr Nash might be congratulated in this respect, because usually in a measure of this nature, there was something “sticky.” He thought that the Minister was quite justified in closing up any avenue by which income tax might be evaded, and said there were always people who would try to evade taxation, but his side of the House believed, with the Government, that taxes levied by Parliament should be paid. At 10.35 p.m. the Bill passed tne second reading, and entered the committee stages, which were passed with no discussion.

■ The Bill then passed the third reading, and the House adjourned at 10.40 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. to-morrow.