PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 80, 25 July 1914, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE CGUKGiL. [Pkb Prkss Association.! Wellington, July 21. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Imprest Supply Bill, Xo. 2, was put through its third reading. Hon. Hardy continued the debate upon the. Masters and Apprentices Bill. Ho heartily supported'bringing out boys froiii the Oid Country for farm labor.—The Bill was supported by lions. Louisson, Samuel, Earnshaw, Beehan, Mac Gibbon, Morgan and Fisher.—lion. Bell, in the course of his. reply, said there had been 32d applications for boys, and they were unable to satisfy 23S applications. There was no danger of the boys being over-worked, and so far as the boys ahead yout here were concerned, he could say that both boys and employers were satisfied. The importation of girls, however, had to be approach' ed with great caution. Young gins brought away from their paretics did not do well. It was essent : al that girls should have a home. The Lurry Superintendent of the Immigration Department had told him. that morning that the importation of tnese youtig girls must .stop.—The second reading was carried, and the Bill refined in tho Labor Bills Committee.

The Fire Brigade Bill was read a first time and referred to the Statu ion Revision Committee.

The Council rose at 4.45 p.m

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. The following Bills wore introduced and read a first time: -Auckland Harbor Board Vesting Bill (Mr livers), .City of Auckland Empowering Bill (Mr Myers), Awakino County Council Empowering Bill (Mr Wihoii), Waitara Harbor Board "Empowering Bill (Mr }Vjlson). '"""LAND AND IXCOME TAX.

The House went into committee en the Land and Income Tax Bill,

In : reply to Mr Myers, Mr Massov said he would lay on the table of the House a return showing ihe results of subdivision, which showed the ' most satisfactory results, and would surprise most people. it showed tlsat during the last 2J years 1.043,733 acres had been subdivided, which meant settlement.

Mr Witty contended that the return showed little else thai! that land had changed hands.

Mr Forbes said that what the House wanted to know was what amount of subdivision.had taken place under the Government's legislation, and how many new settlers, there i were.

This view was endorsed by Air Wilford „.,; ...

Mr Pearce said that some farms of in Taranaki were paying gratduated tax. That was most unfair.

Mi: Ell contended, in reply to Mr Pearce, that the man having the use of £SOOO worth of land was infinitely bettor ( off, even if he paid graduated tax, than , thousands of workers v. ho paid £7 or. £8 rates per year. The discussion then centred round "the question of family subdivision, the Premier contending that this form oi subdivision did not evade the graduated tax. Mr McCallum asked if the Minister considered the time had not arrived when an increase hi the graduated tax should be made. That was the practical issue before the country. Mi,' Allen admitted that valuations were not made all over the Dominion at the same time, and it was impossible to do so. The task was too big. Xo amendment could be made in the mortgage i tax this year, as the problem was a complex one, but. he hopVd to do something to remove apparent injustices before he left office.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m

The debate on the Laud and Income Tax Bill \va scontinued by Mr At more who dwelt upon the necessity for more close settlement in Hawke's Bay, contrasting it unfavorably with the condition of affairs in Nelson.

Sir Joseph Ward renewed his inquiry as to the effect of the "stenIping" system of assessing land-tax: Would the Minister tell him what was the difference in the amount paid under the new system as against the old by a man who owned, land valued at £GSOO? . .

Mr Allen, in reply, said a tablet had been prepared, which showed anyone at a glance what the tax was. He had no table for the old system, but he could say that that the effect of last year's amendment was to slightly decrease the tax on valuations from £SOOO to £6500.

Sir Joseph Ward asked the Minister whether he was prepared to repeal the mortgage tax. It had been a plank in the "[Reform" platform, and lie wanted to know when the repeal was going to take place. Mr Allen, in reply, repeated that it was impossible to remove the tax this session.

Mr Forbes said lie could remember the time'when tlio Minister "roasted Sir Joseph Ward like a chop on a gridiron" over this mortgage tax. Nov, the Minister was the chop, and evidently did not like tho roasting pro-

Mr Bell argued that the figures proved a reduction in the amount oi taation under the new system, as against the old.

Clause 1 passed at 9 o'clock. On clause 2, Sir Joseph Ward renewed the discussion on the mortgage tax. The Minister, he said, who had formerly demanded its repeal, ought to get up and frankly say why he does not repeal it. The Bil] passed without amendment. Resuming after the supper adjournment, the Fruit Preserving Industry Bill passed without further amendment. Tlie Local Elections and Polk Amendment Bill wag taken in com-

mittee.—The Bill was reported with an amendment a/finning the method of voting by striking out the name instead of mailing a cross. In committee <>n the Victoria College Bill, the House divided upon subclause B of clause 3, providing for tho election of two members ol the Professorial Board to'the Council. The clause was retained by 31 to 12, and the Bill reported with other minor amendments. The Land and income Tax Bill was road a third time. The House rose at 1.2.8 a.m.