ECONOMY MEASURES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 118, 20 April 1931, Page 3

ECONOMY MEASURES

SECOND FINANCE BILL. MINOR POINTS. Detail provisions in the Government’s second Finance Bill, at present before the House of Representatives, show the following economies.Savings in almost every direction of State activity are indicated. The authority of the Government to borrow' on Treasury' Bills is increased from £4,000,000 to" £6,003,000 as from the beginning of this month. The Minister of Finance is empowered not only to transfer certain profits from the Post and Telegraph Department to the credit of the Consolidated Fund, but lie may anticipate the profits of the Department and transfer in advance any amounts he thinks fit to assist the Consolidated Fund in this wav.

The subsidies to the Greymoutli Harbour Board are reduced from £15,000 to £12,000. The annual State grant to the New Zealand Institute is reduced from £ISOO to £750.

Acclimatisation societies will no longer receive the usual grants from royalties, fees and lines collected by the Stale. This money will be retained by the Consolidated Fund.

The military police force in Samoa loses its grant. The Government takes power under the Bill to regulate and prohibit the importation into or exportation from the Dominion of coined silver, under penalty of a £SO fine. In addition to the reduction of the State’s subsidy to flic National Provident Fund from one-fourth to onefifth of tho annual contributions, tho fund is in future to pay its own working expenses instead of having them appropriated annually by Parliament. Maternity benefits under the National Provident Fund, which were ','therto paytble to persons receiving £3OO and under, are now restricted to those receiving £270 and under, and io payment from the fund at the birth of each child is reduced from £6 to £4. Money unclaimed within six years becomes part of the fund. Benefits under the Family Allowances Act have been tightened up. The allowance of 2s for each child in excess of two, remains, but the allowance is restricted to families whose weekly average income does not exceed £3 12s in place of £4 as hitherto. Tlie Official Assignee, instead of having separate bank accounts for individual estates, will, for the purpose of greater economy, have one bank account for all estates.

Employees of the Cool; Islands Public Service and Samoan Public Service are deprived of the privilege of counting their service as time and a half for the purpose of superannuation. Hy special repeal, provision which; hitherto existed for the raising of loans for university and other educational institutions, and also for raising money for dental conics, is abolished, and the money held in the Education Loans Account is transferred to the Public Works Fund. Cases of emergency may he met hy the payment, up to June 30 next, of amounts not to exceed in the aggregate onefourth of the amount transferred. The Railways Authorisation Account is abolished, and the money transferred to the Public Works Account. EDUCATION ECONOAII ICS. Tinnortnnt economics in the realm of education are provided for in the second part of the Hill. They will operate as from April 1 last. The Council of Education and all district advisory committees are to be a ho. Shed. Authority is given the Minister to close schools permanently or temporarily in certain cases of emergency, where the attendance has fallen as the result of buildings being wholly or partially destroyed hy earthquake, lire or flood. The appointments of teachers at such schools will terminate at 30 days’ notice, hut as soon as practicable, such teachers will he transferred to other positions. 'This provision is deemed to have come into force as from February 3 last, the date of the Hawke’s Hay earthquake. In connection with the appointments of teachers hy education boards, provision is made that, except in the case of a married female teacher who has completed her course of training at a teachers’ training college, hut has not completed the term of service required by regulations, a hoard may, with the approval of the senior inspector, refuse to employ any female married teacher. NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS ABOLISHED.

Junior and senior national scholarships are to he abolished, but holders of existing scholarships will be allowed to continue to enjoy the benefits. However, the Minister may establish bursaries of an annual value to bo prescribed to enable qualified persons to pursue courses Of secondary or higher education. The existing powers with regard to combining secondary and technical schools for the purpose of control have been strengthened. Under the Act of 1024 the Governor-General, hv Ordcr-in-Couneil. could direct amalgamation (*’ the recommendation of the Minister. made with the approval of the governing bodies of the schools affected. Under the Hill all that is required is a mandatory direction by Order-in-Couneil. WASHING-UP CLAUSES. Several virtual washing-up provisions affecting local bodies are included in the Bill. As promised by the Prime Minister, authority is given to local bodies to remit the additional charge of 10 per cent, oil unpaid rates levied during the financial year ended March 31 last. Where the penalty has already been paid, power is given tor refund to he made, and the action of local bodies which have already made a remission is validated. Similar powers may be exercised by the Minister of Lands in respect of rates levied under the llangitaiki and Hauraki Plains drainage legislation. Power is given to borough councils to make by-laws for regulating the design and construction of buildings to resist earthquake shocks. The replacement-of lost or destroyed debentures by local authorities is authorised by another clause. The applicant must, however, give an indemnity against the possible presentation of the original debenture. J n connection with the union of hospital districts, the Governor-General may appoint such number of qualified persons ns be thinks fit to bold office as members of a district board until the board is elected in the usual way. j Fire boards are to be brought under die provisions of the Local Bodies | Finance Act. winch limits the borrow-1 ing [lowers of local bodies.