THE HOUSE.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12710, 1 December 1909, Page 4

THE HOUSE.

In the House this afternoon the Death/Duties Bill was committed. Mr Baiume criticised the imposition of duty on small estates, and said the increased taxation should come from large estates. Mr McLaren endorsed Mr Baume's views. Mr Pearce said the House was trying to drive capital away instead of encouraging it to stay. _ , Mr Stallworthy deprecated raising the question of the poor man versus "the rich. " . Mr Herdman asked him Jiow trustees of a large estate paying a duty, say, of £4Q,000, were to raise money. He suggested that a scheme be devised enabling a. man to pay sums of money to the Public Trustee during his life time by way of death duty on his estate. • Mr Baume said the bulk of the rcvnnue would be raised out of estates r.f between £1000 and £10,000, which was not just. Sir J. G. Ward, in reply, said that out of 1568 estates paying duty, last rear 907 paid on estates under £1000. The relief given to such estates under the new proposals will be considerable. The duties were design ed" *o nroduce. £100,000 a year.and if the larger estates were taxed nwro heavily, it might result in capital beins: withdrawn froni industries. Mr Allen, referring to the estate dut. : r.s, said the Premier was right tn saying that if the rate of taxation was too high on t.he large estate? it murht have the result of disturbing onnit.il but Mr Baume was correct in siring that Wie smaller es+ato? wore unfairly taxed on succession fluty. On the motion of Si.r -T. G. Ward + i')-« following new sub olanso was ft<l'l<vl to ■ clause twelve. The petite fluty rmvable on any estate skill , ln i oTe."p<! the aimon.iTt by whioh. th« fi'inl bilanep of th.it estate exceeds +ho Riim of five hundrr-d pounds, fnd fiio pst.at f duty T)av"T,ble on mv "s---(ite tho whole of wliieli hns Tv»o" hv l V will of the deceased's left nvso--Iti+»lv and bonefipially to hi= wid^r. 'iot exceed the niT>nvmt by wHri'i the f'nl balance "f that- -cstO'te ?x---r/wls five thousand pounds. On rl.iuse 41, whifli owmpts .li'tolvimtinl marriaao sp.ttlp>ments. Mr Al. l°n moved to extend sn.me tn inclnrt" sifts made by parents of parties to iiinrrinie. The amendment was negatived by 37 votes to 22. On cbi'.sp '3, Mr Allen move' 1 to doH-e -£"00 from the rIaUF" wl'.ich exempts fiif'ts of less value than tJio. stph named from duty. On a division the amendment wa;S b*t by 38 votes to 19. On clause 67, which grants power to the Commissioner to assess duty Under, the Act on property other than 1:uk1 in such manner as h-e thinks iit, Mr Allen objected to the enormous powers given tho Commissioner, who might be used arbitrarily. Ho moved that the clause bo amended so as to render the Commissioner's assessment subject to right of appeal to the Supremo Court. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. The House in the evening again went into committee on th^ Dealh Duties Bill. At clause 79, section 5, providing for exemption from succession d-Ut.V on native property, not exceeding £200 in value, Mr Herries moved to increase the amount to £400, but tilio amendment was negatived by 43 to 19. , Mr Wright moved a new clause to the effect, that no duty shall be chargeable on moneys payable under life insurance left by husband to wife not over £1000. The Premier pointed out that already a widow was exempted up to £5000 from estate duty. Mr.Massey said clause 12, dealing with estate left to widow, had apparently been misunderstood by the committee, who were of opinion that a widow was exempt up to £5000, whereas the clause provided the exemption only applied to the balance of the estate over £500, when the whole of the estate was left absolutely to the widow. ' The Premier agreed to recommit the Bill later on with a view of remodelling clause 12, and Mr Wright withdrew his amendment . Mr Baume moved that the first r <*ho<3u.le be amended so that all esta+es between £500 a.nd £1000 be exempt from estate duty, bringing the law ;,nto lino with that of New South Wales. . The Premier said that if -the amendment was carried, he would have to ask the committee to increase the rates on larger estates, so as to provide revenue to be raised by meMis of the Bill. Mr Baume's amendment was lost by 44 to 26 The Bill wag reported with amendments to the House. On Shipping a.nt3 Seamen Amendment Bill replying to questions, the Hon. J. _A. Millar said that oil laupohes plying for hire or engaged in competitive pursuits, would be required to carry engineers but would be exempt if used for private purposes, if not over 50 tons. Whe ; n clause 28 was reached, the Minister moved a new «ub clause, as follows: "If a ship does not exceed .sis tons register, and carries Passengers or freight for hire, she shall carry one duly certificated man." That, the Minister explained left it quite open as to whether the man with certificate should be -the master or engineer.