PARLIAMENT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 August 1924, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

ANNUAL REPORTS. IMPREST SUPPLY BILL. (by TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 28. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. • The Minister for Agriculture laid on the table the annual report of the Board of Agriculture,, and also the report of the British Overseas Settlement delegation to New Zealand. ' The Hon. A. D. McLeod. laid-on the table the annual report 'on the' kauri gum industry. In speaking to the report, the Minister said he proposed to take an early opportunity, .of going closely into the whole question of kauri gum production and marketing with a view to placing the' industry on a better footing. Ihe House then went into committee of supply to consider the Imprest" Supply Bill (No. 3). , After a debate, in which members touched on various; matters, the House agreed to the Bill, authorising' an'appropriation of £2,241,074. ' On the third reading of, the Bill, MrMassey said something had been -said about- our indebtedness piling up. Thatmight be true, but'" at the-same time our interest' bearing assets were ,-also, piling up. Emphasising the necessity for a reduction in taxation, he" menturned that the arrears of land ‘add in-' come tax amounted to about £750,000He denied that there had been anything in the way of favouritism in the distribution of loans by the State-Ad-vances Department. These loans were not made on a population basis, hut according to the necessities of the peo- - p!e. In this connection he was . satisfied that there had been .no unfairness. Speaking of immigration, Mr Massey said he thought we could absorb 10,000 immigrants, provided no slump came., He was not over sanguine as to the future of some of our products and' unemployment appeared to be oh the increase m Britain. We had to look forward to what would happen when i the people employed at the Wembley Exhibition had- to look for- employ--ment elsewhere, but for the moment everything was looking well. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. The House rose at 12.30 a.m. till 2.30 p.m.