PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 229, 27 September 1929, Page 9

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. ANOTHER DAY ON TAXATION. LATE SITTING REFUSED. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The entire sitting in the House of Representatives yesterday was devoted to further discussion on the second reading of the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill. The Prime Minister had hoped to conclude the second reading debate before the House rose at 10.30, but was disappointed, and when lie suggested, that the sitting should be continued after that hour a Reformer protested loudly, and a late sitting was averted. Fate of Paeroa-Pokeno Loop. A non-committal answer was given by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, when Mr. Samuel (Thames) asked whether it was a fact that the PaeroaPokeno railway would not be built for a considerable number of years. Mr. Samuel read the first portion of the "Thames Star's" report, which stated that, in the first place, tlie project did not fit in with the United party's present main line railway policy, as there was already a line which, though not parallel, served to connect the East Coast with Auckland. Mr. Samuel desired to know whether the "Thames Star" had any right to publish a statement that the line would not be built. Was that statement • concerning the Government's policy correct or incorrect?

"My attention lias been drawn to the published statement." replied the Prime Minister, but up to the_ present the matter has not received the consideration of the Government. Transport Bill Committee. The Minister of Transport, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, gave notice of his intention to move that the Transport Bill bo referred to the following special committee: Messrs. Broadfoot. Clinkard, Healv, Murdoch, Ansell, Harris, Williams, Parry, Sullivan and Veitch. Affectionate Regard for Premier. A nice compliment was paid to the Prime Minister to - niglit by Mr. llushworth (Country party member tor the Bay of Islands) when opening his speech on the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill. "We, who live close to affairs in Parliament, are prone to take too much for granted," he said, , "but I would like to congratulate the 1 rune Minister on his recovery from Ins recent illness. Wg do appreciate the Pi inic Minister's patience aiul courtesy, and the dignity with which he discharges his responsible duties. I feel sure that all members will agree that we ha\e sincere respect for him, a respect, may 1 say, that is tinged with affection. _ Of course that does not mean that it is impossible to differ with him" on tiie requirements of the political situation. It is inevitable that we should sometimes differ." Alarm ana Unrest. The culmination of the strong condemnation of the land tax proposals from Mr. Macmillan (Tauranga) was the declaration that it had caused unrest and alarm throughout the Dominion. "Is it engineered?" asked the Minister of Justice. Mr. Macmillan retorted that it was easy to make insinuations, but the Minister should try to prove them. The protests had not been engineered. Take the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce resolutions. Was that body particularly concerned about the farmer? Hon. T. M. Wilford: Are they all Reformers ? Mr. Macmillan replied that he did not believe that for a moment. The people had been roused, and it would be wise if the Government withdrew the supertax and substituted a graduated income tax—Hi stiff one if they liked. After what the country had passed through lie considered the Government had produced a dangerous crisis. Proposals of this sort would ruin our credit 011 the London money market, and would be almost the deathblow to land settlement. Bursting up Beginning. The Taxation Bill is, states the Hon. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, the fulfillment of an oft-repeated promise that large estates would be broken up. This principle was echoed by the Reform opposition, who professed to agree with it; but when they saw legislation brought down which was actually going to do it they placed every obstacle in the way. He had received a letter from a land-owning friend, who stated that some of his neighbours had told him they intended to place their properties on the market by cutting them up themselves. They said their only regret was that they did not want Sir Joseph Ward to get the credit for it. However, added Mr. Ransom, Sir Joseph Ward would get the "credit which he deserved. Personally, he had no anxiety about the effect of putting more land on the market. Prices might come down slightly, but that would not be so deplorable as the result of the land purchasing of the former Government, which produced a ruinous boom.