THE FINANCE BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19808, 1 December 1927, Page 13

THE FINANCE BILL.

TOTALISATOR DUTY REFUNDS. DETERIORATED CROWN LANDS. WHEAT GROWING EXPERIMENTS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday, It ii> proposed in the Finance Bill, introduced in the House to-night, that county councils may make a levy on timber pro duced in the county not exceeding Id a 100 ft. broad measure. The levy is to be payabio only in respect of sawn timber from native trees that have not been planted. The object of the legislation is to recoup to local authorities the loss sustained through the reduced ratable value of the land through the* cutting of t,he timber. A clause proposes to validate agree nients made between hospital boards and local authorities for the employment of •ipphcauts tor charitable relief. It is provided that moneys payable by the Fruit Export Control Board to owners of fruit may be paid to tho New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Association, as agents for fhe owners. % Another clause in the bill authorises the Public Trustee 10 convey the Auckland Trades Hall 111 Hobson Street to the trustees, -uid to advance £4OOO on tirst mortgage, thus making for compliance with an Act of 1922 that all capital owing to the Public Trustee should be repaid within live years. The rents and other sources of revenue trom the hall have not been sufficient to enable the trustees to repay the original advance. 1 Loan to Samoan Treasury. The bill validates a donation of £250 made by the Auckland Savings Bank to the Mayor's Unemployment Fund. Special provision is made for the payment of an allowance of £1 10s a day as travelling expenses to the members of the Auckland Water Commission. Another clause extends the purposes tor wh'ch totalisator duty may be refunded under section 8 of the Finance Act, 1925 Refunds may be made in any case if the Minister is satisfied that they are required by the racing club for expenditure during the year, for tho payment of interest 011 loans, for permanent improvements, for the repayment of any such moneys, for the discharge of any other liability incurred for such work, or for the purchase by any hunt club of sites for kennels, or for permanent improvements. Authority is given to increase t_he amount that may be loaned to the Samoan Treasury from £16,000 to £46,000. From the profits accrued to the New Zealand Reparation Estates Account for the year 1927, £12,000 is to. lie paid to the Samoan Treasury. To enable experiments to be conducted with a view to bringing back to a state of fertility Crown lands that have deteriorated or are naturally lacking in productivity. land boards are empowered, with tho approval of the Minister of Lands, to dispose of such lands on terms and conditions considered desirable. The Minister may remit wholly or in part or postpone the payment of interest on advances or rent. Main Highways Fund. Tho payment of £SOO to the GovernorGeneral as a grant in aid of special expenditure incurred by him in connection with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York is authorised. Another clause provides for the periodical payment out of the Consolidated Fund into the Main Highways Revenue Fund of an amount equal to that estimated by the Controller of Customs to be the amount of customs duties received on rubber tyres and inner tubes of rubber for pneumatic tyres attached to or imported with motor vehicles, tractors or similar vehicles. There is provision that all acts done on, behalf of tne Government in relation to tho importation and sale of wheat from Australia in 1925 and 1926 shall be validated. Provision is made for a scheme of voluntary contributions by persons engaged in growing wheat and in related industries toward the cost of carrying out scientific investigations by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The amount of tho levies payable by the various interests toward the establishment of laboratories and the employment of scientists is to bo apportioned by regulations and .<e not to exceed L'd for every 50 bushels of wheat delivered hv a producer to a miller or merchant, lid for every ton of flour or wheatmeal delivered from the flourmill, or lid for every ton of the products taken delivery of. The provisions are to remain in operation until December, 1933, when they will be repealed. UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. LEGISLATION PROPOSED. PRIVATE MEMBER'S MEASURE. [BY [TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER. ] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. In the House to-day Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) obtained leave to introduce the Unemployed Workers' Bill. The bill, provides generally lor the collection of accurate statistics in regard to unemployment; for the setting up of an Unemployment Board representative of the Government, the workers and the employers; and for the efficient organisation of employment, especially during the winter months, when seasonal occupations are closed. It provides also for cooperation between the Government departments, local bodies and private employers in organising schemes of necessary development whereby work will be provided. The bill also contains the right to work principle and an unemployment insurance scheme on the lines adopted by the last Trade Union conference held under the auspices of the Alliance of Labour. THE REFOBM PARTY. MEETING OF MEMBERS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. A meeting of members of tho Reform Party in Parliament was held this morning, there being a large attendance. The object of tho meeting was the discussion of matters connected with organisation in connection with the election campaign of 1928. Addresses were delivered by members of the central executive of the party.