PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18405, 12 August 1931, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD, EFFORTS TO FIND WORK. UTMOST WITH FUNDS AVAILABLE (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Mr J. S. Fletcher (IndependentGrey Lynn), in the House of Representatives to-day, asked the Minister of Labour whether he would advise the House when the Unemployed Board would be aide to provide work for all unemployed men. He said that there were a large number of men who were unable to obtain work. The Minister of Labour (the Hon. S. G. Smith) said that the board was doing Its utmost with the funds at its disposal. There were 48,396 registrations at present, and the board was expending £50,000 per week, which was the amount of anticipated revenue under the amended Act. The board was now considering other proposals for further relief. Replying to Mr R. A. Wright (Reform—Wellington Suburbs), the Minister of Labour said that he appreciated the assistance he had received from the National Council of Women in connection with the problem of unemployed women. The personnel of the committee which was to consider the problem and report to the Unemployment Board was at present being considered. There would be at least two women on the committee.

BILLS INTRODUCED. ARCHITECTS AMENDMENT. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The New Zealand Institute of Architects Amendment Bill (Mr R. A. Wright—Wellington Subu.bs) was introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives to-day. It was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Education Committee. Honey Marketing. On the motion of Mr W. J. Jordan (Labour —Manukau), the Honey Local Marketing Board Bill was read a firak time. UNITY NEEDED. TO ASSIST RECOVERY. PRAISE FOR MR DOWNIE STEWART (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Continuing the Financial Debate in the House of Representatives, the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle) said that the Prime Minister must have been encouraged by the way in which his Budget had not only been received in New Zealand, but at Home. The Government had carried out its duty fearlessly and courageously, and not one of its enactments would be repealed by any other party. Mr F. Langstone (Labour— Walmarlno) : "You are romancing." Mr de la Perrelle said that advice and suggestions In regard to the Budget were welcome, but they did not think that a hostile attitude was in the Interests of the country. Mr Perrelle referred to the conciliatory Budget speech of the Hon. W. Downle Stewart (Reform—Dunedin West), who was regarded as "the brainy element of the Reform Party.” Mr Perrell?: Is this not the time, with a grave depression hanging over the country, for .the utmost unity among all parties and for the best efforts to be put forward to assist in lifting the country out of the morass to better times? Mr Perrelle added that Mr Stewart's speech and the manner in which he had received the Budget was appreciated by members of the Government side of the House, and Mr Perrelle advised the lesser lights of the Reform Party to take a leaf out of Mr Stewart's book, particularly regarding the sinking of party differences. “It was a statesmanlike speech,” Mr Perrelle said, “and not that of a politician."

TAXATION PROPOSALS.

ATTACKED BY MR MACMILLAN, (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Mr C. E. Macmillan (Reform— Tauranga) In the course of hfs Budget speech In the House of Representatives to-day, said further taxation should be obtained from petrol, not from the users, but from the people dealing In it, and given to local bodies for the purpose of derating. If another £1,000.000 were raised and used as he suggested, it would practically mean that farming would be subsidised to that amount. The man who received his income from debentures should pay more than the one who worked for it. If the principle had been adopted that unearned Income should pay a larger proportion than earned income, there would be no need for the Government to have imposed a tax on sugar and ■tea. which was unjust. He felt so strongly that the taxation proposals should be recast that he considered the Government should refer them to the Public Accounts Committee.