EVENING SITTING.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 256, 5 November 1910, Page 7

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at .7.30 p.m. The debate on the second reading of the' Local bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill was resumed.

Sir JOSEPH WARD replying, said that since the passing of the StateGuaranteed Advances Act a sum of £1,239,601 had been advanced to local public bodies at 3§ per cent., throughout the Dominion, in less'than eight months. Eighteen months ago the local bodies could not get money at 6 per cent., but local bodies were now. in the position of being beyond usury., Apparently, however, some of them <hdf not like it, judging by th© statements made by the critics of the new system. He was prepared to consider the proposal by Mr McDonald that small grazing runs should be accepted as security for loans. The second reading was carried on the voices.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

The Justices of tho Peace Amendment ' Bill was reported' without amendment.

NATIONAL ANNUITIES

The National Provident Fund Bill was taken into Committee.

At Clause 8, . . Mr ALLEN asked .whether, if a person who had become a contributor to the fund left Now Zealand, he would be allowed to remain a contributor.

Sir JOSEPH WARD replied that persons who joined the fund could remain so as long as they kept up their payments. Replying to other questions he said that he could not throw the fund open to persons receiving salaries of over £200, as'this would mean reconstructing tho scale of contribution. Any person of 16 years and over could ojm the fund, which was as nearly as possible making it universal.

Mr _ MASSEY agreed that it was undesirable to make the scheme universal at present. In time compulsory universal insurance would be enforced.

The PRIME MINISTER said he' was prepared to insert a provision' whereby any contributor to the fund remaining out of the country for two i years and upwards should not be entitled to any benefits while resident outside or the Dominion. He would' exempt students and others who leffr the Dominion for the purpose of gaining knowledge and experience. Clause 9 was amended by adding a proviso that any persons who has ceased to be a contributor may be readmitted on terms fixed by the Board. A proviso was added to clause 15J providing that benefits accruing to a contributor from any registered benefit society shall not be taken into account in paying contributor's allowances in respect of incapacity. Clause 18 was struck out, and a new one inserted providing that no person shall be entitled to any benefits under th© Act unless he satisfies the Board that he has not been absent from the Dominion for a longer period than two years, or for an aggregate perior of five years, unless in the case or persons who go abroad for educational purposes and remain absent for a SSrlo^- 0*less than fivo y?arsine Bill was reported with amendanents.

PUBLIC REVENUES. The Public Revenues Bill was taken in Committee. The Bill was reported with amendments. The House rose at 1 a.m.