BENZINE AND FILM TAX

Northland Age, Volume II, Issue 35, 3 September 1930, Page 7

BENZINE AND FILM TAX

(Captain r K»jshworth): As far as the provisions of this Part IV are concerned, it seems to be a matter of bookkeeping. I want to say most emphatically that I am opposed to the benzine tax unless it is accompanied by a proportionate derating of farm lands, but the House has decided to levy the benzine tax. That is not an issue now, but I think the thing that is at issue is a question of bookkeeping. The Minister of Lands stated that he realised that the counties are so hard hit that they cannot carry on. He has said the same thing many times before publicly and privately. I believe he is thoroughly aware ot the situation so far as the counties are concerned, but how that problem is to be dealt with is another matter altogether. Although this particular section of the Act does not set out to deal aspect of the case, I presume the Government will redeem their pledges made in that connection. Then the honomable member tor Waitemata made what I thought was a very important and valuable suggestion, namely, that judgment should be suspended in this matter until we have the Public Works vote, and particularly the outlying districts’ vote before us for consideration. It seems to me that it is possible that most of the questions that have been raised can be resolved when these Estimates are brought down. I do not know whether this will be the case, but I hope so. There remains the question of the Main Highways Board itself. It I ever approved of the idea of a Board being set up outside the political arena —that is an authority that is supre Parliament —I have been thoroughly cured of such an idea. I think it is nothing less than a national disaster th have any Board that is outside the realm of the criticism

of this House, and so far as I am concerned, I have not the slightest objection to the money being from the Main Highways Board as it is at present constituted, provided that such moneys are made available for roading purposes through other channels I certainly think it would be a very good idea to have the Main Highways act amended so that the Board is made responsible to the Minister of Public Works. By that means we should regain Parliamentary control, Ido not mean political control but Parliamentary control. There is only one other point * I wish to deal with, and that is the question of the cinematograph films. The proposal in that coni nection has my unqualified approval. I think it is a splendid idea. 1 have a suggestion which I might mention to the Minister if it could be put into practice, and that is for the Minister to take power to add a special and additional import duty on a footage basis when a film falls below the level of good taste. I think the Minister could reap a rich harvest by using power in that way. Many of the films that we see here, particularly those coming from the United States, are in shocking bad taste. I am not referring to those that are salac--1 ious and objectionable from a moral point of view, but many of them are an insult to one’s intelligence and show up very poorly as compared with the average British film. Turning

from that, I was interested in the remark made by the honourable member for Hutt. He said he ' was quite sure that the taxing proposals were such that the renter could not possibly get through any loophole—that he

could not possibly escape the taxation —but while he was speaking it occurred to me that here again we might have the proverbial Act of Parliament through which a coach and pair could be driven. For what it is worth I put the suggestion to the Prime Minister so that he can have it investigated. Supposing a renter sets up a subsidiary company which acquires the theatre and then lets the theatre to the renter at a weekly rent varying with the popularity of the films exhibited, we would have a repitition of what is going on at the present time, and it seems to me that the intentions underlying this Bill might be evaded in that way. The Bill does not appear to provide against that possibility, and it may be that some other provision may be required to deal with that side of it.