Provision For Finance

Northern Advocate, 16 March 1944, Page 4

Provision For Finance

<P - A -) WELLINGTON, This Day. Iwo Bills were introduced , by Gover-nor-General’s message when the House or Represen ta I ives resumed at 7.30 last night, on a Finance Bill and one providing a lortnight’s holiday with pay for all workers l'or each 12 months' work. The Acting Minister for Finance (Hon D. G. Sullivan) said the Finance Bill followed a course usual under circumstances similar to the present. The Prime Ministei would probably be leaving to attend tlie Imperial Conference and the Bill was one to extend certain provisions in the National Development Loans Act and Public Revenues Act in order to provide against the possibility that Parliament might not be called together in June. Both Acts referred to provided that the Minister for Finance might, in the three months following the end of each financial year on March 31 expend under those Acts an amount equalling one quarter of the total provisions made in tlie previous year, plus any unexpended appropriations.

Parliament, on various occasions in past, including three under Mr. Forbes' Premiership, and one under Mr. Savage, had extended the three months* period' to 5. 0 and 7 months. The present Biff provided for extension to five months, of the authority of tin* Minister for Finance under both the National Development Loans Act and Public Revenue Act. thus enabling administration to proceed until the end of August if need be. without Parliament meeting.

If Parliament did meet before the end of June, authority to be taken under the Bill would not be required. The Bill was read a first time.