IN THE HOUSE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13229, 9 April 1936, Page 5

IN THE HOUSE.

MORE NEW BILLS INTRODUCED.

RE-ORGANISING LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

Electric Telegraxih—T'ress Association WELLINGTON, last Night.

Proposals for the reorganisation of the Labour Department and the widening of its activities to a markea extent are set out in ?:he Labour Department Amendment Bill introduced in the House to-day.

The Bill provides that the Secretary of Labour shall be the administrative head of the department un der the control of the Minister. He is to be charged with the administration not only of the original Labour Department Act, 1908, but also of the Master and Apprentice Act, Servants’ Registry Office Act, Agricultural Labourers’ Accommodation Act, Wages Protection and Contractors’ Lients Act, Footwear Regulation Act, Labour Disputes Investigation Act, Part I of the War Legislation Amendment Act, Shearers Amendment Act, Factories Act, Shops anti Offices Act. Workers’ Compensation Act, Scaffolding and Excavation Act, Apprentices Act, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and Weights and Measures A.ct. There is also provision for the department to be charged with the administration of the Employment Pro motion Act after its passage through the House. This is expected to result in the Labour Department taking over the functions of the Unemployment Board. The Bill confirms the present Sec retary for Labour, Mr J. S. Hunter, in his appointment and provides for the appointment of an assistant-sec-retary, who will have power to fill the higher office during any temporary vacancy. All members of the Public Service holding office in the department or engaged in the administration of any of tlie Acts now to be administered by the department, are to be confirmed, in their appointmentsand authority is given for the the appointment of additional officers if necessary.

The Minister is empowered to delegate any of his statutory powers to the Secretary if he desires to do so, but the Bill makes it clear that the Minister will remain the absolute head of the department. Schedules to the Bill show that with regard to the Master and Apprentice Act 1908. and the amendments of 1920 the Minister of Labour will take over the duties formerly carried out by the Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister oi Immigration. There is a registrar or industrial unions and a registrar of apprentices, MEASURE BEFORE HOUSE. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Labour Department Amendment Bill was introduced in the House this afternoon. The Minister explained that the Bill was deemed to be necessary because of the Bill that would follow providing foi tlie amalgamation of tlie offices oi the Unemployment Board and the Labour Department. The Bill was simply an administrative measure and fixed the status of the Secretary for Labour who now filled a number of offices. In view of the additional work lie would have to undertake, some of those offices would have to be taken by others. The Bill made provision for the . appointing of other officers and for the Minister to delegate certain of his powers to the Secretary for Labour. The Bill was read a first time. EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION BILL The Employment Promotion Bill was also introduced.

Hon. H. T. Armstrong explained that the Bill abolished the Unemployment Act of 1930 but continued the fund which would be known in future as the Employment Fund instead of the Unemployment Fund. The Bill abolishes the Unemployment Board and places the administration under the Labour Department. The IB 11 did not touch the services of the men who comprised the hoard, said Mi - Armstrong, to Mr Forbes, who asked if it was intended to dispense with the services of the men ori the board. The Bill was read a first time and the House rose at 5-10 till Thursday, April 16. NO INCREASE IN TAXATION. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The abolition of the Unemployment Board and establishment of an employment promotion fund to be administered by tlie Department of Labour are the main features of the Employment Promotion Bill which was introduced in the House to-day. It is mainly a. consolidating measure but alterations are made in the system of taxation. The most important is tlie deletion of the provision in the main Act which allow-

ed sums paid as unemployment tax shall b© known in future as the employment tax, consisting of a registration levy and employment charge both of which at present exist under different names. However, there is no contemplation of an immediate alteration in the rates of taxation for these purposes. The administration of the Bill will be substantially along the lines followed by the Unemployment Board in its handling of the unemployment funds. The assessment, collection and recovery of the employment tax are to be administered as if it was an income tax. The necessity of the registration of every male person over the age of 20 years as under the original Act is again stipulated. The quarterly levy and tax on salaries, wages and other income are maintained with no specific reference to the rate in the latter case although the quarterly levy is still to be at the rate of os per quarter. With regard to the payment of these taxes the only new provisions are that people leaving New Zealand before the quarterly instalment is due shall not be held liable for payment of that instalment and that no instalments of the levy shall be due after the death of the taxpayer. Previously the levy was regarded as an annual charge and was charged against a deceased person’s estate for the balance of the year after death.

As under the original Act pensioners and Maoris are exempt from payment of the registration levy. Other classes where partial exemption is granted as in the case of hospital patients are retained in the Bill.

Additional exemption applies to people over the age of 65 whose annual income does not exceed £lO4. If any person receives payment lor services rendered since August, 1931, when the emergency unemployment charge came into operation and before the present Bill becomes law an apportionment of the sum may be arranged for employment taxation purposes.

The general application of the charge oil income other than salary or wages is maintained subject to existing exemptions. However, exemptions in respect of departure Irom New Zealand and death before tlie instalment falls due as applmci to the levy are extended to this phase of taxation.

Under existing legislation there is no authority to fix the date for the hearing of default assessments in respect ol income other than salary or wages. The new Bill provides that notice of objection to assessment can be given within 21 days.

The present provisions regarding collection of employment tax are retained in the Bill. Among the additions in this respect are clauses protecting the Crown’s right to tax receipts in the event of the bankruptcy of employer, making the amount of tax deducted by the employer and personal property and enabling the Crown to take action for the recovery of any tax which the employer has failed to deduct. Administrative expenditure under the JliH is to be charged first to the Consolidated Fluid and not t<> the employment fund. However, the Consolidated Fund will subsequently be reimbursed but only to the extent approved by the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Finance. During recent months there has been some agitation for the payment of allowances to unemployed women. No specific provision for this purpose is made in the Bill but the Ministers of Labour and Finance have discretionary power to extend tlie payment of allowances to women. The maximum allowances which may be paid to a man and bis wife and dependents are also left to. the discretion of the Ministers, the effect ol this being to rule out the statutory limits at present existing. A clause in the Bill provides that no allowance will be paid to any person if his unemployment is due to his refusal or failure to accept reasonable work which has been offered 1 ini except with the authoritv of tlie Minister. A person must reside in tlie Dole inion for six months before be can qualify for relief allowances. There is power for the Minister of Public Works to carry out work on behalf of local authorities.

Th© penalty applicable to persons v ho obtain benefits by making false representations is increased from £2O to £IOO.