WORK OF PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16027, 20 September 1915, Page 7

WORK OF PARLIAMENT.

TAXATION PROPOSALS.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

COMING LEGISLATION. [BY TET.TSBRIPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPOKDEST. ] Wellington-, Sunday. Now that the general Estimates have been disposed of Parliament will set to work on the really important work of the session—the passing of the taxing Bills and the National Registration Bill. The general opinion of members and of the Government is that the session will be over in three weeks. To-morrow night the weekly budget of Ministerial replies to questions, which should have come down on Wednesday* last, will be submitted and if members wish to discuss the replies an opportunity to do so will be afforded. For the remainder of the day's sitting the House will deal with local Bills.

The Frime Minister said to-day that the tasting Bill or Bills would be finally dealt with by the Government in a day or two, and he thought it almost certain that the House would have the Government proposals before the end of the week. He also thought' it possible that the National Registration Bill would be advanced a stage this week.

The Order-in-Cotmcil to give effect to proposed increases in postal and telegraphic charges will be gazetted early this week. The postage increase of one halfpenny surcharge on all letters has already been announced. The minimum charge for ordinary telegrams is to be increased from 6d to 8d and there is to be also a heavy increase in the rates for press telegrams.It is still uncertain -whether the remaining taxation proposals of the Government will be submited to Parliament in one Bill or in two or three Bills. Sir Joseph Ward has referred on more than one occasion in the House to the Finance Bill as the title of a taxation measure to come, from which it might be inferred that there is to be only one Bill, but the Prime Minister would not say -when questioned directly on this subject to-day whether the proposals would be submitted in one Bill or more than one. The new taxes requiring to be-ratified by legislation involve an amendment to the Customs tariff and amendments to the graduated land tax and the income tax.