Forecast Of Session

Northern Advocate, 19 June 1939, Page 7

Forecast Of Session

[Special to “Northern Advocate”! WELLINGTON, This Day.

The intensive legislative work of the last Parliament is not likely to be the feature of the session to commence on Tuesday week.

A decided change is coming in the political atmosphere. During the early stages of the- Labour Government, the Opposition could scarcely do

more than watch and wait, interposing frequent warnings as to the ultimate consequences of the drastic and novel proposals which were being made into I'aw in rapid succession.

The Opposing Forces.

The National forces (, however, now face a session with reinforcements not only to the extent of six additional new members, but a mass of material for criticism which has accumulated as a result of the Government’s policy in practice. However, the Government dan equably face the prdspects in the division lobbies, for it has the comfortable working majority of 27, excluding Mr Speaker, who does not vote under normal conditions.

Lively Criticism

Thus everything points to a session which is to be distinctive not for statutory novelties, but a lively criticism and an equally vigorous defence of what was done in the last Parliament. It has already been indicated by the Government that bills will not be heavy, but this assurance was not really needed to support the prediction of a slender Statute Book, because the greatly enhanced power and vigour cf the Opposition should slow down the working pace. Finance is, of course, the outstanding question, and a general approach to it will be made on Thursday week, as it is intended to submit one of the monetai’y Supply Bills, thus giving wide opportunities for discussion. The critics are not likely to restrain themselves until the return from England of the Minister of Finance.

No Confidence Motion

“No confidence” may appear for discussion in the first week, but the usual test will come on the Address-in-Reply debate ,a week later. Some glimpses of the cost of the Social Security system are to be gained by financial details covering the month of April of this year.

Hospital and maternity benefits and the general practitioner service had not then come to charge. However, the cost of benefits had already increased by over 11 million, as disclosed by the following details of the increase in the annual value of pension and allowances as at April 30. Age benefit, £1,157,093; invalids’ benefit, £214,464; widows’ benefit, £149,537; family allowance, £73,470; orphans’ benefit, £5147; increases, £1,599,658. Orphans’ Benefit. The orphans’ benefit is entirely new + his year, and it should be mentioned that the great rise in annual costs of the age benefit is largely due to reducing the age qualification for men, which is now 60. The actuarial estimate of the annual cost of the ,age benefit in 1939-40 submitted at the Parliamentary committee investigation was £6,200,000, and the figure actually reached today is £5,627,039.

Employment Promotion

The Employment Promotion Fund was merged into the social security finance on April 1, and its balance transferred. However, this did not bring as much to the new scheme as might have been anticipated from the fact that it commenced the year with cash and investments aggregating £1.130,000.

Expenditure during the year was heavier than in preceding periods, the net result being that the account at the moment of transfer indicated credit totalling £207,123, the investment having dropped to a comparatively modest £175,000.

Medical Benefits,

The battle of the medical profession over the Slate general practitioner service will be transferred to the Parliamentary arena. The National Party agrees with the doctors that the State service should be only for the benefit of those who cannot pay for private treatment. This question is likely to be specifically raised in connection with legislation, as it is reported that the Government will not only be introducing a measure to overcome anomalies already discovered in connection with benefits, but it is also desirous of enlarging the powers already given to the Minister of Health, to make contracts wills private practitioners.

Mr Nash’s Task

Although the Minister of Finance, the Hon, W. Nash, lias received the re-

port of experts as a preliminary to a general overhaul of the taxation sys-

tem, it is expected that under the circumstances he wilt not be able to find adequate opportunity for considering

this class of legislation in the first session c£ the new Parliament. Completion of the Budget after his return to New Zealand in August will be a formidable task, involving consideration

of the increased costs of social security

in the coming year

The long delay in the establishment of the general medical service, while the 1/- in the £ tax is piling up, will help the Social Security Fund, but ft

remains to be seen how much will be realised by extending this tax to companies in respect of their incomes for the past financial year.