WORK OF THE SESSION

Southland Times, Issue 19396, 10 November 1924, Page 9

WORK OF THE SESSION

PRIME MINISTER’S REVIEW SOME IMPORTANT MEASURES THE MORATORIUM AND THE GAMING BILL. (Per United Press Association.) < WELINGTON, November 7. “The second session of Parliament is usually looked upon ag a working session, and that which has just now come to an end has been no exception to the rule,” stated the Prime Minister to-day. “The Statute Book will undoubtedly be a very substantial document, and I believe that the legislation contained therein will give satisfaction to the great majority of the people of the country,” continued Mr Massey.” TAX REDUCTIONS. “The reductions of land and income tax, for instance, will be welcome not only to those who pay land or income tax, but to those citizens who understand that any reduction of taxation affects the whole population. That has been the experience in every other country and, so far, it has been our experience in New Zealand. The total amount of the reduction by way of land and income tax, taken together, has been £718,000, the reduction in amusement tax has been £45,000 and the reduction in j tobacco duty has been £75,000, making a total by way of annual reduction of taxa- : tion of £838,500. Many members of the House axe unwilling to agree to any reduction. in land and income tax, but if reductions are not made while the country is prosperous and money fairly plentiful, they certainly will not be made when a change comes, and we have more difficulty with our finance than we are having at the present. LAND TRANSFER BILL. “A piece of legislation which, I think, attracted very little attention, but which is very important, nevertheless, has been the Land Transfer Bill providing for compulsory registration of titles,” remarked Mr Massey. “I think this will do an immense amount of good and make the transfer of land very much easier and less costly in many instances, than has been the case up to the present. LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT. “The Legislature Amendment Bill, with which we have been dealing recently, is not by any means a pretentious piece of legislation, but I believe that it makes for a clean electoral roll and simplifies very considerably the law. With regard to absent voters’ permits, it provides that the residential qualification which, under the existing law is one month in the electorate, shall be increased to three months, thus restoring the law to what it formerly stood at before the last amendment in this connection was made. I feel certain that with capable handling, there will be much less difficulty in the administration of the law so far as elections are concerned than we have experienced in many instances in the past. THE MORATORIUM. “There was,” Mr Massey said, “a very considerable difference of opinion, both in the House and outside of it with regard to the Mortgages Final Extension Bill, but I think that the compromise which was arrived at will give satisfaction in most cases, and I believe the winding up of the Moratorium will do very much more good than harm, especially for the mortgagors of country lands. I believe it will, to a very great extent, restore confidence in broad acres as securities.” OTHER MEASURES. The Stamp Duties Amendment Bill was a very important Act of great length, and required very careful looking into. It had been before the House on one or two previous occasions, but Mr Massey was inclined to think that the amendments made during the session just closed would ensure its working more smoothly than it had done for some time. There was a good deal of difference of opinion on the part of the House with regard to the Companies’ Empowering Bill so far as it affects the dairying industry, but the Premier thought that they have got it into a shape by which the difficulty would be avoided in future, and it would give satisfaction certainly to the co-operative companies operating throughout New Zealand, and, he thought, also to the bulk of the public who are concerned with what was really the most important industry in the Dominion. FINANCE BILL. “The Finance Bill provides for the borrowing of money that may be required during the financial year,” continued the Prime Minister. “It is not likely that the whole of the money authorised will be asked for, but I am anxious to keep going a proper supply for purposes of both settlers on country lands and workers, and at the same time to keep the interest down to a reasonable rate. The State Advances Department is now doing an enormous business, and so far as I can judge, there will be no slackening off for a considerable time to come. I am quite willing to assist those who are interested in establishing what are called agricultural banks, but. I have my responsibilties to the country, and I must insist upon the State having control of its own money, and from information which I have been able to pick up I am satisfied that there is no more satisfactory system, in any part of the Empire or even America than that which is in operation at the present time by the State Advances Department. “I am glad to notice that the financial critics in other centres continue to speak favourably of New Zealand’s finance, and it is a matter of great satisfaction to all who take any interest in the prosperity of this country to know that its credit stands very high, but we must take care that nothing is done which may injure it. “Guided by the satisfactory results of the Meat Control Board, and the Dairy Control Board, Parliament this year made provision for the control of the export of fruit, and also for the export of honey. These are promising industries, and deserve any support and encouragement which it is possible for the Government or Parliament to give them. In the poultry industry especially, the export of eggs is being assisted in a similar manner. MOTOR VEHICLES. “The advent of motor vehicles has made it necessary that our main roads should be improved, and that the weight of motor lorries, including their loads, should be regulated so as not to injure unnecessarily roads in existence now, or any roads that may be made in the future. Hence the passing of the Motor Vehicles Bill, and of the Public Works Bill, under which fees have not yet been settled, but every shilling of money collected under these Acts will be set aside for the purpose of making and improving roads, and will not be used for the ordinary purposes of the Consolidated Fund. PENSIONS. “During this session, too, something has been done for those who have fallen by the way,” said Mr Massey. “An amendment of the Pensions Act provides for an increase in eld age and widows’ pensions, and pensions are being provided for the indigent blind. “In the interests ef the soldiers, it was necessary further to amend the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, and amendments have been made therein which will tend to the more satisfactory working of the provisions of the original legislation. The V alu&tion Boards have done great work, and by the time they have finished, I think it will be found that a very large proportion of soldier settlers have been placed in a fair way of doing good for themselves and doing good for the country. THE GAMING BILL. The Gaming Amendment Act attracted a good deal of attention on account of the struggle which took place over it in the House, and the difference of opinion with regard thereto on the part of the public. We canpot all see eye to eye with regard to these matters. This legislation has been

promised for four years, and on four occasions attempts have been made to get a satisfactory Bill on to the Statute Book. Personally, I am glad that it is finished for the time being and out of the way, and the principle has been affirmed that in Parliament majorties must rule. A very large section of the public in New Zealand take an interest in racing. They are, perhaps, taxpayers to a greater extent than many other classes, and so far as legislation is concerned they must be treated properly. They proved they were good citizens during the war period, and that fact must not be forgotten. At all events, when promises are made to them by the Government or Parliament, those promises must be kept. “There are,” concluded Mr Massey, "the usual formal Bills which require to be dealt with every session, but I have only touched upon those of what may be called major importance, and which I hope and believe will work out to the satisfaction of the public.”