HOUSE AND LOBBY PARLIAMENT IN PARAGRAPHS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12217, 15 August 1925, Page 4

HOUSE AND LOBBY PARLIAMENT IN PARAGRAPHS

M)r A. Harris (talking about telephones), wanted to know yesterday if there “would be a switch over in the near future.” “Switch over in the near future” is right. And it will not stop at telephones, was the reply of the Minister. * * * • THE CONFIDENCE TRICKSTER “The greatest trickster irj the country is the department which runs the slot telephones,” declared Mr J. A. tee. One could spend five or six pennies quite fruitlessly in these machines, a thing that was not good business, was bad for the morality of the average customer, and was calculated to bring tears to the eyes of the average Soot. • * * * MOUNT EGMONT Mr O. Hawken (Egmont) made a plea in the House yesterday afternoon for improvement of the roads leading to Monnt Egmont. Mount Egmont ac a tourist resort, he said, was somewhat neglected. Improved roads were absolutely essential in order that people would he able to visit the two mountain houses in comfort. One of the roads waß now in a state where it would need a good deal of money to put it in good repair again, and the other road-was liable ■at any time to get out of repair. Again and again local people had been called on to contribute privately for this work. • • » « • THE BACKRLOCK MAIL Appreciation was expressed by Sir George Hunter of the excellent work done by the Postal Department to allow settlers in the backblocks to get their mails. The matter was a difficult one to arrange- in the Waipawa electorate, which hp represented. In order to bring about this satisfactory condition of affairs, an officer of the department had been sent to the district and he had been able to arrange a serVioe whioh had proved satisfactory to settlers generally. He would like to ask the Minister if any determination had been arrived at by the head of the department in regard to the consideration to be given to the mail contractors who took the contracts prior to the introduction of the motor tax. This tax had been a considerable expense oh the contractors, and he would like -the Minister to he able to announce to the House that some consideration had bedti given them. * * . « * GIVERS TAXED Though some 2700 shipowners in all parts of New Zealand decided in 1918 to rejcognise the services of the officers and men- of the Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine to New Zealand pro-

ducers by creating the Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund the Government demanded income tax on all the money that they fave. The fund was created out of prots made on the resale of New Zealand wool by the Imperial Government, half of whioh were distributed to the wool growers of the Dominion. When it became apparent that these profits would he realised the sheepowners signed authority for their individual shares to be paid over to trustees and for the funds to he applied for the relief of sailors of the navy or mercantile marine suffering from wounds or illness as the result of war service, or for dependents of men who had died. The sum paid over out of the accrued wool profits totalled £211,791 18s lOd. The Land and Tnoroo Tax Department then notified the farmers who had signed their individual names of the accrued surplus that these profits must be shown in their annual income tax returns, and tax paid upon them. The trustees of the fund were appealed to and thinking that it was grossly unfair that the sheepfarmers should he called upon. to pay income tax on amounts whioh they had never reoeived or agreed on legal advice, and under' protest that a sum approximating £35,. 000. should bo. paid by the Government department distributing the wool profits to the Land and Income Tax Department. This was done, and the Income Tax Department reoeived £34,998 9s '7d and the balance of £176.793 9s 3d to the fund. ‘ •Now the trustees have petitioned Parliament that provision should be made in the Finance Bill for a refund of this money. In addition the trustees have been asked to pay the sum of nearly £9OO per annum from March, 1924, on the Flock House property, which they acquired to tram specially selected c'nldren of British sailors tp become farmers. In this regard they ask for the Laud and Income Tax Act to be amended to provide that their work should be free from, taxation. * * * * POINT HALSWELL ROAD Yesterday Sir John Luke "(Wellington North) urged, that the Government should take someinterest in the formation of the road round Point Halswell now that it passed the burial ground of the late Mr Massey. The roadi should be widened out, he said. The Prime Minister (Hon. J. G. Coates) replied, that the matter was one of negotiation between the Government and the Mayor (Mr C. J. B. Norwood), and that a contribution woufyi •be made. Apparently the sum suggested was not all that the Mayor thought the Government should give. However, an understanding would be reached.