PARLIAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 17732, 9 August 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. . , (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August B.' DEATH OF LEADER’S SON. When the Legislative Council resumed this afternoon, the Hon. 0., Samuel carried out the duties of Acting-Leader,' Sir Francis Bell being absent. In moving a resolution regarding the death of the Leader’s son, similar to that carried in the House of Representatives, the Hon. O. Samuel said that Captain Bell was beginning to make his mark in the House as well as in the law courts, but he was one of the first to recognise that it was the duty of every Briton to imperil his life and future prospects in defence of the Empire. Death must come to all of us, and how could it come more gracefully than when it met one in the performance of such high duty. T The motion was seconded by the Hon. R. Moore and carried. The amendment to the War Purposes Loan Bill, received from the House, w-aa agreed to, ,after Sir W. Hall-Jones and the Hon. J. Barr had protested against Councillors not being afforded an opportunity of giving'due consideration to the amendment. The Council adjourned at 3.10 p.m. until next Wednesday as a mark of respect to the late Captain Bell. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WAR LOAN AMENDMENT. The House met at 2.30. An amendment to the War Purposes Loan Bill was introduced by Governor’s Message. Sir J. G. Ward said that the amendment was a formal one for the purpose of enabling the post office to receive larger sums for a longer period from small investors in the war loan. He proposed to extend the term of investment from five years to such longer period as the Minister of Finance determines, probably for ten years. The amount would be either £SOO or £IOOO, in all probability the latter. He asked that the amendment be dealt with as a matter pf urgency to enable the Legislative Council to pass it to-day. The amendment was agreed to. . WHEAT AND FLOUR COMPETITION. Replying to the Hon. D. Buddo, Mr Massey said Cabinet was aware that there was a danger of southern flourmills having to close down owing to competition between imported wheat and imported flour. Cabinet would deal with the question during the next few days. LOCAL BILL. Mr W. A. Veitch gave notice of his intention to introduce the Wanganui Harbour Board Vesting Bill. NOTICE OF MAILS. Replying to Dr Thacker, Sir Jas. Allen said it was by Imperial direction that notice of overseas mails was not published. NEW CUSTOMS DUTIES. Replying to Mr Jennings, Sir J. G. Ward said he was having a special report made in connection with silks and other goods affected by the proposed alternations in Customs duties. If any fresh resolution of the House was required in this connection it would date as from yesterday. CAPTAIN BELL’S DEATH. The Premier moved the customary resolution of sympathy with Sir Francis.and Lady Bell in connection with the death of their son, Captain Harold Bell,' former member for Wellington Suburbs, -killed at the front. In doing so Mr Massey paid a tribute to the deceased officer's recognised ability as a member of the New Zealand bar and of the House.' He went to Samoa with the Expeditionary Force, then proceeded to England and joined King Edward’s Horse, with which company he took part in several actions. He distinguished himself and was mentioned in despatches during the past few months. He felt sure the sympathy of all members would go out to Sir Francis and Lady Bell in their loss, but they had the satisfaction of knowing that the patriotism of such young men as their son would live for ever. The memory of their deeds would never be forgotten. While sympathising with the parents, however, be was confident they would rather know that their son’s bones lie in foregin soil, as they' do at this hour, than feel that he failed in his duty. Sir J. G. Ward said that in this case, as in all cases, sympathy would go out to the bereaved parents. The late , Captain Bell possessed an uncommon share of natural ability, and his fine education made him a prominent figure on the floor of the House. His speeches were always worthy of the closest attention. He had an analytical mind, supported by logical reasoning powers, and consequently his utterances in Parliament never failed to reach a high standard. The heart strings of many were being wrung at the present juncture, and though they know that the death of their sons is a noble one, it is none the less poignant to those to whom they belong. He often tried to realise what an amount of sorrow was being covered up by the people of New Zealand, and .it must be so in the case of the parents of Captain Bell, to whom he desired to extend his sincere sympathy. Sir Jas. Allen, Messrs Wilford, Wright, Dr Newman, Pomare, and Isitt, also spoke, and the resolution was carried in silence. DEATH OF SGT. E. RHODES. Before moving the adjournment of the House till 7.30 as a mark of respect to Captain Bell, the Premier mentioned that news had also come through to-day that Sorgt. Ernest Rhodes, son of the member for Thames, had also been killed at the front, and he desired to extend to the bereaved parents his deepest sympathy in their loss. After Sir .1. G. Ward had spoken in like sympathetic terms, the House rose at 3.30. EVENING SITTING. THE BUDGET DEBATE. The House resumed at 7.30, when the debate on the Budget was continued by Mr J. ANSTEY (Waitaki), who complimented the Government on the boldness of the proposals disclosed in the Statement). They were just such proposals as the country was looking for. He, however, felt bound to complain of the lack of clearness with which some of the proposals were set out. Want of clearness, to a great extent, was responsible for the failure of the profits tax, because the returns were so complicated that many were unable to say what their profits were. He agreed entirely with the proposed increase in old age pensions, but thought the suggested amount. insuf r ficient. The abolition of the profits tax was an excellent feature of the Budget, the anomalies and injustices being so many. The advance in soldiers’ pensions would meet with the wannest approval. He now proposed to become more critical, and condemned the combination of land tax and graduated land tax. They were entirely distinct in nature and intention, and the attempt to combine them would lead--to an endless crop of anomalies. He likewise regretted the attempt to raise so large an amount from income tax, and favoured an attempt being made to recover pure war profits by means of an export tax. In this | way wool alone would provide £850,000 per annum. While from all sources at least two millions would be raised more cheaply and with less injustice than by most forms of taxation. The tax on tea; he strongly condemned, being excessively heavy as compared with the new impost put on beer and spirits, while other luxuries might be made to contribute much more substantially to the revenue. Motor cars were not a luxury, but he favoured a tax on tyres, to be handed to local bodies to repair the roads. The proposal to set aside two millions to employ returned soldiers on public’ works would prove advantageous, both to the men and the country, but he saw a great difficulty in getting land on which to settle soldiers, unless some drastic system of graduated land tax was formulated to burst up big estates. Otherwise the I

scheme would fail for the want of suitable areas. While prepared to give the Government every credit for the boldness of the proposals, he thought manj' subjects had not received sustained consideration. He believed that some of the taxation proposals now foreshadowed are the beginning of sacrifices necessary to remind us that a great war is going on. Mr G. V. PEARCE (Patea) said he saw much good in the Budget, particularly in the proposals to treat our soldiers and old age pensioners well. He had no faith in nostrums to keep down the cost of living, preparing to give pensioners sufficient to meet the increased charges they were called upon to meet. The proposed Civil Service bonus was on a different footing. Only those whose salaries were not over £2OO should receive it. He agreed with most of the taxation proposals outlined in the Budget, even the tax on tea meeting with approval on the ground that the taxation proposed was small in comparison with that levied in England. If men were asked to make sacrifices in regard lo beer, spirits, and tobacco, he thought the ladies should make some sacrifice on tea, and he believed they were prepared to do it. He, however, saw many injustices to small farmers under the laud and income tax as proposed, mortgages being taxed thereunder, which was fair enough if they were seeking to burst up big estates, but for ordinary war purposes it was most unfair to the small man. Under this system there was dual taxation, the borrower and the lender being taxed on the same money. This was the great blot on the Budget. The Hon. D. BUDDO said he did not like dual taxation more than the member for Patea, but he saw no way out of it. The demands on the country were great, and the necessities of the position must be met. The proposals of the Budget were not sensational except in the totals involved, but it did not go off the beaten track, and its methods of lumping taxation not more inequitable than almost every tax is in its incidence. One thing he believed it would do and that was to stop the aggregation of land which had been going on to a greater extent than was generally supposed/ Taxation on bachelors (not spinsters), and motor cars, was advocated, th« latter being at first applied for war purposes and later on handed to local bodies to supplement their revenue. Organisation and more land were needed to complete the scheme for settling soldiers, whom he urged should be allowed to occupy lands rent free for a stated period, after which a valuation should be made, based on current prices. On this soldiers’ rents should lie fixed, and if there was a loss the country' should make it up. This he thought preferable to giving soldiers remissions of rent as an act of grace, as was sometimes done to Crown tenants. The most liberal treatment should be given to soldiers. To relieve a large body of useful men for war purposes he suggested disbanding territorial organisations, which were useful enough in a way, but our whole business should be, for the moment, getting men into camps. Concluding, he criticised some features of the railway administration, particularly the non-running of race trains, which simply meant that motor cars were let loose on the country roads, greatly hampering local bodies owing to the damage done. Mr G. HUNTER (Waipawa) congratulated the Minister on the magnificent surplus, but pointed out that it was only, possible owing to the excessive taxation imposed on the people. In that light the position was not so satisfactory. In this connection he urged that consideration be shown those who largely subscribed to patriotic funds when compulsory payments to the new loan were being enforced, for the reasfm that at the time of the flotation of the loan, they having given largely and freely to local funds, were not in a position to take up war bonds. The amusement tax should be doubled, and some additional taxation should be put on motor cars. While the practice of paying Government servants a war bonus was to be commenced as an example to private employers he, however, found grave fault with the inadequate taxation placed on beer, compared with the amount extracted from the people by way of income tax. Brewing was one of the wealthiest industries in the Dominion, employing less labour ■ than many not so favourably treated, so that when brewers went down on their knees at night they had every reason to say: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Massey, Allen, Ward and Co.” The adjournment of the debate was moved by Mr W. A. Veitch, and the Housa rose at 11.10.