PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18207, 28 September 1922, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

! LimE PROGRESS MADE. IMPREST SUPPLY BILL. ANOTHER DAY'S TALK. LITTLE INTEREST IN DEBATE [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPOXTEB-] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Shortly after the House met to-day the Imprest' Supply Bill for the month was introduced, and the general discussion which usually accompanies such measures tras carded on well into the evening. Although the discussion occupied a good deal of valuable time it was of little interest, members generally harping upon the same old subjects- Eventually the Bill, which authorised tho expenditure of !1.799,100, was passed, and the House rose at 10-50 p.m.

NEW TAXES ON INCOMES. DETAILS OF THE SCHEDULE. •REBATE FOR EARNED INCOME. [BT TELEGRAM.—SPECIAL HErOBTEB-] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Tho schedule to the taxing Bill shows that the abolition of the super-tax is tho only change made in the scheme enacted in "1920 and brought into operation last year. The text of the schedule, setting forth the rates to be paid early in 1923, is as follows :— On income assessable under sub-section 3 of section 112 of the prinoipal Act (companies' debentures) the rate of income tax shall be 3s for every £1 thereof. On income assessable under sub-seotion 3 of section 24 of the Land and Income Tax Amendment Act, 1920 (local bodies debentures), the rate of income tax shs.ll be 2s 6d for every £1 thereof. On the taxable income of all tax•uers other than those referred to in clause 1, or clause 2 of this schedule, the rates of income tax shall be as follow : (a) Where 'the income on which tax is naya.ble does not exceed £400 the rate shall be Is for every £1 thereof. (b) Whore such income exceeds £400, but doe 3 not exceed £6000. tho rate shall be Is for every £1 thereof, increased by one-hundredth" part of Id for every £1 in excess of £400. ni - nnn (c) Where such income exceeds £6000, the rate shall be 5s 8d for every £1 thereof, increased by one two-hundredth part of Id for every £1 in excess of £6000. but so as not to exceed in any case the rate of 7s 4d in the £1The income tax payable by any taxpayer, as hereinbefore provided, shall be reduced by 10 per centum of so much thereof as is levied in respect of earned income, provided that if the earned income of a taxpayer for any year exceeds AO OOO the reduction provided for by this clause shall be made only in respect of the sium of £2000. VERDICTS OF JURIES. THE MAJORITY PROPOSAL. MR. MACGREGOR'S BILL. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER-] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. In moving the second reading of the Juries Amendment Bill in the Legislative Council to-day, the Hon. J. MacGregor said he did so for the fifth time. Tlie Bill provides that where ten members of a jury -who are of one opinion, inform a judge that there is. no hope of a unanimous deoision, their verdict shall count as though it were the verdict of the full jury. The mover said that since last session, he had had information from "South Africa, that what the Bill aimed to Becure was the law there. The system of a grand jury had been found unsatisfactory and had been done away with. The same was the case in the Australian States. The member quoted from a police report to the effect fithat -until the trial by jury of persons charged with being bookmakers was discontinued, it was useless tonrosecute them. He referred also to the trial of persons charged with alwrtion and expressed amazement that the Government, -which held these practices to be ilieeal, should continue to allow the criminal law to be flouted. The Hon. O. Samuel said the passing of the Bill might have a* pernicious effect. It would do away with retrials to a large extent, and unconsciously men were apt to do the thing that meant least trouble to themselves. Thus injustice might be done to innocent people. Records showed that the present system of trial by jury was eminently successful. After further discussion the debate was adjourned. QUAY STREET RAILWAY. NO CHANGE OF VIEW. fBX TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER-] WELLINGTON. Wednesday The Minister for Railways was asked by M.v. Clutha Mackenzie (Auckland East) in the House to-day whether there had been any change in the attitude of the Railway "Department toward the proposed extension of the railway line akrng the Auckland waterfront. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie replied that there had been.' no change. The department, he said, recognised the dangers which such a line would create, and was not in a position to take the responsibility of what seemed, or might be, a death trap. BETTER DAIRY HERDS. CAMBRIDGE SUGGESTION. [BX TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Some time ago it was suggested by the Cambridge branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union that the Department of Agriculture should demonstrate, the method and utility of apeying cull dairy cows. It was contended that an organised plan of speying unprofitable dairy cows would do more toward improving the average butter-fat production than any other method, and at 9 small cost. The representations were conveyed by Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato) to the Minister for Agriculture, who replied to-day that the department was arranging for a demonstration as desired. HOMES FOR SOLDIERS.

GRANTS BY GOVERNMENT. [3X TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. A return was laid on the table of the House of Representatives by the Minister for Lands to-day, showing the number of applications by returned soldiers for grants to enable them to build homes, together with the number granted during the past financial year, and the number of applications now under review. The return shows that 227G applications were received during the year ended March 31, 1922. Of this number 1643 were granted. The total number granted during the year was, however, 1847, a total which includes certain applications received prior to April 1, 1921, but granted within the past financial year. During the period from April 1, 1922, to July 18, 1922, a total of 92 applications were received, of which 87 were granted. There were 180 applications undei considi eraiion at July 18, 1922.