QUESTIONS ASKED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 64, 18 March 1943, Page 4

QUESTIONS ASKED

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT (P.A.) Wellington, March 17. "If the situation continues to improve, then the whole question will be reconsidered,” said the Prime Minister, replying to a question by Mr. W. S. Goosman (Waikato) when the House of Representatives met at 10.30 this morning. Mr. Goosman had asked whether, in view of the improvement in the war situation, it was the Government’s intention to consider a reduction in the war damage insurance rate.

A request that New Zealand farmers should receive similar prices for their beef to those paid to producers in Great Britain and Australia to stop the declining production of beef cattle in the Dominion was made by Mr. W. J. Polson (Stratford), in a question to the Minister of Marketing. Mr. Polson said that much higher prices were received by Australian and British farmers, and he considered that the price of New Zealand beef should be increased by at least the amount paid into the pool out of the producers’ proceeds. He also asked for increased butter-fat prices to enable the reward to the farmer promised by Mr. Nash to be secured. Mr. W. M. C. Denham (Invercargill), in a notice of a question, said there was discontent among the permanent staff of the military forces because they had to pay all taxes, while officers temporarily employed on the staff were exempt as far as their departmental salaries were concerned, and he asked the Minister in charge of income tax to look into the matter.