WORK OF SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1925, Page 8

WORK OF SESSION.

PARLIAMENT NEXT WEEK. THE PROBABLE PROGRAMME. FINANCIAL LEGISLATION. Parliament opens on Thursday week and preparations for the session are going on. Though things political are at sixes and sevens, the Government intend© to ’‘carry on” as far as possible along normal lines (states the Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Star). With a million and a-quarter of surplus taxation disclosed, Parliament will expect further substantial reductions in the burden. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart, who is to take the portfolio of Finance, will return early in the session from his health recruiting visit to the United States, and when framing his Financial Statement, will doubtless carry on the former Prime Minister’s plans to further reduce the land and income taxes. The concessions of last session involved £1900,000, and gave benefit to the land and income taxpayer, those who frequent amusements, and the pipe smoker. In view of the difficulty which faced the Government last session in securing the passage of an all round 10 per cent, reduction in the land tax, the new Finance Minister may find it expedient during the coming session to revise the actual scale, with a view to more partial distribution of benefits. Local body finance is to receive attention. The’ Government is concerned over the rapid piling up of local loans, and it ia no secret that legislation will appear to impose on local authorities more restrictions in regard to their borrowing methods. That there is justification for action is evident from the latest statistics of local body loans, including power boards, which have been so active during the few years. The gross debt of local bodies now stands at over £47,000,000, having trebled in twenty years. The fairest comparison is on the basis of population. The local debt per head in 1900 amounted to £lO 4s Id; to-day it stands at nearly £35. IMPORTANT LAND LEGISLATION. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister for Lands, will introduce a Land Act amendment of more than usual interest. The land legislation of the Dominion has been consolidated, but it constantly needs modification, and the Minister intends, if parliamentary opportunities are suitable, to make another effort to cope, with the problem of aggregation, and also improve tenure conditions so as to cope with the difficulty of hill country in the North Isliand which is reverting to second growth, after the bush has been cleared. Some important extensions of the pensions system were made last session, pensions to the blind being adopted, and widows and old age pensions somewhat liberalised. The Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister in charge of the Pensions Department, stated that this was as far as finances would permit the Government to go, but he mentioned the wider possibilities involved in a scheme of contributory pensions. The details of this scheme have since been carefully framed by the Pensions Department in consultation with the Minister, and it is understood that he is ready to introduce a bill on these lines. The scheme will be

a development of the pensions method followed by the National Provident Fund. LICENSING AND GAMING. Had the political position been normal this year, a recess committee of members of Parliament would have investigated the whole question of racing, with a view to amendment of gaming legislation by the present Parliament. The opportunity has gone, but the question is sure to be revived during the session, either by the advocates of the licensing of bookmakers, or by their opponents, who wish the proposed committee to deal with the economic aspect of gambling. The licensing question is in a more forward condition, as the Government is in possession of the report of a parliamentary committee on the whole range of this legislation. Redistribution of licenses, a nine-year interval between polls, and the right to make beer containing not more than 2 per cent, of alcohol, if prohibition is carried, are the outstanding recommendations of the committee. This is the non-party question, and if opportunity offers, it might be dealt with during the session.