HOPES THAT BUDGET WILL EASE TAXATION

Chronicle (Levin), 25 June 1946, Page 8

HOPES THAT BUDGET WILL EASE TAXATION

—Press Assoctation

- . — — — What WiU Parliament Do This Sessiop ?

Bv Telearctvh-

, WELLINGTON, June 24. Main interest in the session of Parliament to be opened on "Wednesday at'ternoon will be centred in the contents of the Budget, and in particiilar in the proposals wliich it is expected to contain to give relief to the taxpayers. It will be the final session of the present Parliament, and with a General Eleetion to be held before the end of the year it is not considered likely that it will be tinduly protraeted. So far a eomplete outline ' has not been given of the legislation the Government intends introclueing, but in the past few months varions Ministers have referred to measurcs that are likely to come down, and the indication they have given, plns the faet that the Address-in-Reply debate and the Finaneial Debate, following the presentation of the Budget, will eacli oeeupy about three weeks, suggests that the session may extend well into October. No date lias yet been fixed for tbe General Eleetion. Tlie Prime Minister, in rcferenees he has made to the subject, has snggested that it is likely to be held towards the end of November or early in December. If the session lasts beyond about the middle of Oetober it may be found that polling day will be early in December. Candidates will probably want at least six weeks in wliich to do their campaigning, particularly in view of the alterations made to the electoral boundaries and the large size of some of the rural eonstituences. The opening of Parliament will be carried out with traditional ceremonial aiul will be performed by liis Exeellency the Governor-General, Sir Bernard Erevberg. This will give the oceasion added interest. Members of the House of Representatives will have an early opportunity of diseussing subjeets of hational and local interest, beeanse it is necessary to pass an Imprest Supply Bill. It is thoi'ght likely that this .Bill will be brought down on Thursday. Probably also, tributes will be paid in the first week to legislators and former members of tlie Legislature who have died during the recess. These inelude >Sir Oharles Rtatham, a member of tlie Legislative Council and a former Speaker of the Ilouse of Iiepresentatives, and .Mr. 11. Goulter, wlio was Government member for Raglan. In the following week the debate will be opened on the motion that a respectful address be forwarded to his Excellency in replv to liis Exeellency 's speeeh from the Throne. The mover will be Mr. J. Tliorn (Government, .Thames), and the seconder "ATr. G. M. Williams (Government, Kaiapoi). Report From Prime Minister. Tt is expected that in tlie early stages . of the session opportunity will be taken by the Prime Minister to report to the House on his missioii overseas at the end of last year and oarlv this year to attend the General Assembly of the I'nitcd Nations. * Tt is not known wlion the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) will return to the Dorninion. Originally it was thought that it was unlikelv that he would be bnck nntil towards the end of July or early Augvt, but as no arrangements ha'-e vet been made for the liolding of the Peace Gonference, at which ho was to re'prosent the Prime Minister, he may-' be back somewliat;- eaj'lio'r thajn wrs • fi'st anticipatod. Tji 'that evenf, ■it'fis possible that the BuH&et imay niake |ts! appearanee in Augnst. ' Hopes have been built up since last session of -worthwhile reductions in taxation being announced this year, and taxpayers were heartened considerably by the cable message from London in April announcing that Mr. Nash had said that he would be presenting an election-winning Budget. The surplus Tevealed in the Public Accounts the other day- was also encouraging. Since the House was last in session the family man has beerl assisted by the payment of the universal family benefit for children, and a measure of relief has been given to the community generally by the reduction of the wages tax from 2s 6d to 2s in the £. But taxpayers are looking for and expecting something much more substantial than that. Everything points to the burden b% ing eased. The Prime Minister recent1 ly indicated that the question of saies tax on a' number of items was being examined, but what other plans the Government has in mind have not beeii divulged. Possible legislation forecast in recent months ineludes provision for the taking over of empty houses to provide accommodation for homeless families. Tt has been announced that there will be a Bill giving effect to reeommendations made last year by the Parliamen' tary Oommittee on Local Government. To what extent the Bill is likelv to ineorporate the Committee's recommendations is 'not at present known. One of. Ihe recommendations was that a Local Bodies Commission should be appointed, and it is regarded as certain that. this step at least will be "taken. Legislation to provide amended rating powers for catchment boards has also been promised. There will also be legislation converting into statutory form the regulartions issued in April last making impoi'tant alterations to New Zealand's divorce laws in relation to wartime marriages

in- cases where one of the parties was oi overseas domicile, Pension inereases have been granted this year to widowecl mothers with dependent children and to tlie wiyes of "disabled seryicemen with dependent children, and there will be legislation to validate these inereases, The settlement arrived pt this year of the long-standing claims of the Waikato tribes for compensation for lands coniiscated after the wai* of 1S63 will be tli.e subject of legislation, and ^ there will be legislation to give effect to theextension announ'ced recently of reciproeal soeial security beneiits between Australia and.Neiv Zealand. gocial Seeurity Benefits. The examination to be made of the present systems of medical practice 'in New Zealand by a eommittee representative of the Government and the medical profession may lead to some furtheii amendments in due course to the Soeial Seeurity Act, but perhaps not this session. It appears that more immediate aetion will be along the lines of extended free dental service and the provision for benefits from the Soeial Security Fund to help people recjuiring expensive aids to alleviate serious types of disability. Attention was drawn last session to the cost of hearing aids and benefits in this conneetion are expected ~to.be among the first provided. During recent weeks it becannf known that the Government has prepared a Factories Bill embodying impoi'tant new measures of a far-reach-ing nature for industrial hygiene and improved faetory stapdards. Copies of the Bill have been made availabje to the trades union •employers' organisations for study, and ft seems likely that its presentation will be delayed. There has been mention during the recess of the possiliility of action being taken in conneetion with bed-and-breakfast charges, but whether the matter has been taken any further is not known. Tt has also been stat^d that it is the Government 's .iptention to draft a Bill placing industrial insurance under a commission and th§reby improving compensation rates. Othei* legislation mentioned for this session ineludes a measure gi^4ng effect to recoin mendations made by the Apprenticeship Commission at the'end of 19-14, and a Bill authorising the necessarv steps for initiating a national veterinary service. It is also believed that the Government may talce soine action to bnn« about greater control of uasella tussoek. Concern about* the spread of this nest in North Cantcrbury and Marlborough was expressed last session. There is the possibility of legislation dealing with the -constitution of the Gouk Isiands. None of the prospective legislation mentioned is:of. the controversial charaeter of the Bank of New Zealand Bill or the Electoral Amendment Bill of lasl session and should not cause pi'eceed ings to be protraeted. As to what elsc the Government may have in Ihe legislative bag, the Speeeh from the Throne may give some indication. Important Reports. There will be reports from ihe Seloct Com'mittee on Population, from tho Royal Commission 011 Licensing, and from a eommittee appointed to considei the question of a superannuat.ion scheme for memliers of Parliament. The Prime Minister has stated that immodi ate consideration will be given to the report on population, but there fias been no indication ' ygt of whether action if likely to be taken this session 011 the report on the licensing laws. Much, oi course, will depend upon the nature ot the recommendations made by the Oom mission. It is possible that after Mr. Nasli'f return information will be given to the House -on the external trade outlook and on New Zealand's defence commitmeirts with : which . is associated the .'qiifiS^ioni.pf ,t]he Ppj^ipipn's internal de1'^nge. pdReyii|; \ . .' •'/' V ' ?-i#etesf •' cbnceirns the BFe1tton>- Wodds- Monetary Agreement. If New Zealand and certnin other countries desire to have the riglits and privileges of foundation members of the International JMonetarv Fund and Bank of Reconstruetion, they must ratify the agreement by December 31. A substantial mnjority of the Opposition members recently deeided to oppose ratification, and it is known tlrat there are members of the Government who are doubtful whether acceptance of the agreement would be wise. All in all, there is a fairlv full programme ahead, but after the Budget has been prcom1 ed and the debate on it has been disposed of, s thougnts of members will turn inereasingly to the General Eleetion.