POLITICAL NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18818, 6 July 1923, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES

HARBOURS ACT AMENDMENT

(By Telegraph. I From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 4. The Harbours Act, a consolidating and amending measure of 258 clauses, was introduced into the House, read a first time, and referred to a select committee. Amendments proposed are not of a very vital character, and have been designed to meet the wishes of the Harbour Boards Association. One, clause that is new gives the Gover-nor-General power to declare that a county council shall have the powers of a harbour board. Any person who is not entitled to vote at an election of a board shall not be entitled to a seat on a board. The disqualification clauses in regard to the sale of goods now included in the Municipal Corporations Act are incorporated, and the provisions for filling extraordinary vacancies have been revised. In many other directions there are numerous minor amendments. while the powers of a board to acquire land are extended.

The Bill has been scrutinised by the executive of the Harbour Boards Association, which has expressed satisfaction. It will be further considered at a special meeting of the Association, and it is probable that some further amendments of a more important character than those at present contained in the Bill w f Jl be embodied before the second reading stage is reached. DAIRY PRODUCE EXPORT. A Bill to make provision for the control of the export of dairy produce was introduced by Governor’s Message in the House to-night, and read a first time. It was explained by Mr. Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture, that the measure is in the same form as when last year’s Bill was reported from a select committee, excepting that minor alterations have been made in clause 13, dealing with contracts for shipment of dairy produce. He intended moving at the next opportunity to refer the Bill to the Agricultural, Pastoral and Commerce Committee for taking evidence, which he promised would be printed. The Bill shows no change from last year’s measure. It provides for setting up a Dairy Export Control Board, comprising two Government representatives and nine producers’ representatives, with one appointee of the sellers of dairy produce. A London agency may be set up, to include one person appointed

by the Minister of Agriculture. The board will have power to impose a levy on exported dairy produce, whether shipped by it or not, up to a maximum of one-eighth of a penny in respect of each pound of butter, and one-sixteenth on each pound of cheese. The board may, on giving notice, assume control of the export of dairy produce from New Zealand, but in the exercise of this power it shall not prejudically affect the operation of any contract or agency in respect of the sale of dairy produce out of New Zealand if such contract is made on or before July 1, 1923. Clause 13, which the Minister states lias been slightly amended, empowers the board, on giving public notice, to assume control over contracts for the carriage by sea of dairy produce exported, and any contracts made without, reference to the board shall be void.

A sub-clause states "provided that if the board established under the Meat Export Control Act by resolution notified to the board established under this Act determines not to enter into any contract for the sea carriage of meat save in accordance with an arrangement between that board and the board under this Act, shall not while this resolution remains in force have authority to enter into any contract for sea carriage of dairy produce save in accordance with an arrangement to be | made with the Meat Producers’ Board.” DEATH DUTIES. The Death Duties Amendment Bill, introduced into the House, is in the direction of providing further exemptions from gift duty. It is provided that no duty shall be payable in respect of any marriage settlement made in respect of any daughter or step-daughter of a settler if the property settled is actually transferred on or before the marriage. Other additional exemptions are the creation of any charitable trust in New Zealand, or the gift of any property in and of such trust; contributions by an <niployer to a fund established for the purpose of providing retiring allowances or pensions for employees, payments made by an employer to an employee in recognition of faithful services, providing the employee is not connected by blood or marriage with the individual, or, in the case of a company, with a director; the discharge of any debt owing by a debtor to a creditor, with the same provisions as in the preceding clause; discharge of debt secured by mortgage or charge, if proved to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the donor and beneficiary are not connected by blood or marriage, and if the commissioner is satisfied that the object is to enable the beneficiary to continue in possession of the property and not for the purpose of evading gift duty.

Section 4 provides that gifts for the education of a relative shall be exempt from duty. The provision made in the principal Act for the accumulation of gifts by tne same donor for the purpose of determining the rate of duty on any gift is affected by the next section. Exempted gifts will not come into computation. Nothing shall be construed to exclude from the computation of the aggregate value of anv gifts the value of any gift upon which duty is not payable because it does not exceed £lOOO. Tile principal Act is to be amended to provide that letters of administration shall not be issued before payment of necessary fees. THE JURIES ACT.

The chief point of interest in the Juries Act Amendment is a clause which proposes to increase the payment to jurors in civil proceedings. It is proposed that the amount of £4 per day paid to a jury of twelve should be increased to £8 per day or part of a day. Payment to juries of four would be correspondingly increased from £l/10/- to £3. Another proposal is that if a case is withindrawn from a jury three days before the hearing the jury fee will be refunded to the party paying it. if the case is withdrawn later the money will only be refunded on an order of the judge. Several improvements in connection with the compilation of the Common Jury list are also contained in the Bill.

INSURANCE COMPANIES’ DEPOSITS. A Bill amending the Insurance Companies Deposits Act proposes an alteration in regard to the assessment of income tax on interest derived by insurance companies from moneys deposited with the Public Trustee. The proposal is that such income should be separately assessed for Income tax, so that the tax paid on such income shall be at the same rate as would be payable if the company received in or derived from New Zealand no other income. SALE OF FOODS AND DRUGS. The Sale of Foods and Drugs Amendment Bill proposes a number of changes in the existing law. It is proposed that the term “drug” shall include soaps, dusting powders, disinfectants, preservatives, etc. It is proposed that sales shall be extended to include meals for which a charge is made. It is also proposed that an officer of the Department 111 seize unclean, damaged, deteriorate!!, or perished goods deleterious to health, or containing any decomposed organic substance. Another provision would make it an offence to so advertise a commodity as to deceive purchasers as to the properties of the commodity.