PARLIAMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19943, 30 October 1934, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

TWO BILLS DISPOSED OF LAST NIGHT’S SITTING By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, October 29. In the House of Representatives this evening urgency was accorded the Committee stages of the Unemployment Amendment (No. 2) Bill, the Local Authorities Interest Reduction and Loans Conversion Amendment Bill and the Finance (No. 3) Bill. On the Unemployment Bill, Mr E. T. Tirakitene (Ind., Southern Maori) and other members referred to the inclusion of native women in the payment of unemployment tax, and claimed that as they were to be treated as equals of the pakeha, Maoris should receive the same benefits under the Act as the pakeha. The Hon. J. A. Young said that some native women were in receipt of large sums perhaps up to £IOOO a year, and it was only right that as Maoris received benefits under the Act they should be called on to contribute. The Committee stages were completed without amendment. A Dangerous Proposal On the Local Authorities Interest Reduction and Loans Conversion Amendment Bill Mr A. E. Jull (C., Walpawa), took exception to the power given to the Local Bodies Loans Board to sanction the raising of a loan by a county which complied with certain conditions without a poll of the ratepayers. He said that the Local Bodies Loans Board was seeking to over-ride the powers of local authorities and to make itself omnipotent. It was seeking to entrench further the bureaucratic form of Government. A considerable amount of dissatisfaction had been caused throughout the counties. He thought that Clause 8 might well be withdrawn as in his opinion it would serve no good purpose. He considered that a dangerous proposal should not be inserted in that insiduous way. It was an insidious attempt to undermine ordinary local body finance. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, in reply, said that many local authorities could not consolidate their loans until they had the machinery provided in Clause 8. The purpose of consolidation was to have a uniform rate over the whole country. He did not care whether the clause was in or out, but the clause had been inserted at the request of several counties. Had the Local Bodies Loans Board been in existence many years ago, he thought that local bodies would not have had the money troubles they had at present. A suggestion was made that a limit of £IOOO should be placed on the amount that could be raised without a poll of the ratepayers. Amendment Accepted Mr Coates said that that would not suit some local bodies which desired to raise one loan to pay off another. He moved that the clause be amended to provide that a special loan not exceeding £IOOO could be raised without a poll. Mr W. J. Broadfoot (C., Waitomo) said he thought that the original clause was more suitable to counties where much work remained to be done than the amendment. The amendment was too low. The amendment was agreed to and the Committee stage was completed. Borrowing Objected To. Coming to the Finance Bill, Mr R. A. Wright (Ind., Wellington Suburbs) protested against the proposals taken in the Bill to borrow. He asked what railways were referred to. Mr Forbes: Railways cannot go on without the authority of both Houses. Mr Wright contended that authority could easily be obtained as the Government had a majority in the House. It was an extraordinary thing. The money to be raised would be spent in 1935, which was election year. Such a loan would cost another £250,000 in interest. He referred to certain unfinished railways and said they would not pay if finished. Mr M. J. Savage, Leader of the Opposition, said he would support borrowing money, though he believed it was the wrong way to secure money. There was no alternative open to members. If they desired to improve the Dominion’s present position, they had either to borrow money or do nothing. Mr Forbes said that before a new railway could be started a resolution would have to be carried by the House and in another place. There was no intention of starting or resuming work on the uncompleted lines. Money had to be spent on the lines they had at present. Borrowing was stopped because the Government had to pay 6or 7 per cent. To-day he believed that money was as cheap as it had ever been. Progress was reported after the remaining clauses had been put through Committe, and leave was given to sit again. The Unemployment Bill and the Local Authorities Interest Reduction Bill were read a third time and passed. The house rose at 12.50 a.m.