OPPOSITION ALSO HAS IDEAS

Chronicle (Levin), 16 August 1946, Page 7

OPPOSITION ALSO HAS IDEAS

—Press Association

INTERESTING SUGGESTIONS

MR. HOLLAND'S PROMISES

By Telegraph-

\V LEL.lAljTUrx, A.UgUSL .10. Aiembers of the public were queueing up for seats in the public galleries before the House of Representatives resuined at 7.30 tomght and wlien the liouse assembled, all the galleries were crowded. The fonnalities of going into committee of ways and means were ipiiekly disposed of, urgency was taken for the presentation of eertain resolutions to be put later in the evening. Air. Nash erossed the floor of the House and presented a eopy of the Budget to Air. Holland, and before 7.35 Air. Xasli luid eommenced the reading of the Budget. After he had been reading the docu inent for nearly two houi's, there was a oerceT'tible movemeut in the galleries

when Air. Nash said: "1 now come to the important niatter of taxation." All eyes were turued tow-ard the Alinister and mauy Aiembers of Parlia ment who up to ihon had been in relaxed attitudes in their seats straightened and listened intentlv. There was anothor stir wlien the Minister announced Ihe abolition of the saies tax 011 eertain goods. The reading of the Budget linished nt 9.50, ha v iug taken two liours 17 minutes. The Alinister then proceeded to niove a resohition implementing the an nouncemeiit of the lii'tiug oi' the saies tax on eertain matcrinls so timi relief could operate as from tomorrow. Air. llolland said the Upposition was glad to cooperate witli the Governnienl so that Ihe resolution could be given cfi'eet to but it reservml its right to criticise, at the proper time, wlien the appropriate Bills caine forward to givt 1 Ihe resolution Legislative authority ' Then the Upposition would givo some iuteresting suggestions making im provements to the legislation in onlei

to m ako it coinply \x i 1 1 1 the wishes oi the people of New Zeahunl. Air. Nash said all the goods lument ioned would uot be suliject t j saiestax toiuorrow aud in the case oi cou traets witli saies tax ilems where con tracts had uot been eonipleted, the i>tir chaser wolild have the right oi re coverv" from the contraetor and would be able to deduet from the eoutra-1 all sums chargcd in respeci of the saies tax. For instance, in the case oi a building contract, a mun lmd tln right to compel the eontraetor to reduce the contract price by the full aiuounl of ihe saies tax proved. Air. L. W. Doidge: Whai prolectioii is there for a shopkeeper witli stoeks 011 liand? Mr. Nash said if he had made a contract to buy goods at a price in which the saies tax was included, then automatically he had the right to have the price reduced hy the amount of the saies tax. If a shopkeeper had stocks 011 which he had paid saies tax, he could sell them at a price to recover the saies tax as well. He could not eharge the saies tax if he had not paid it. The resolution was passed and the House rose at 1U.7 p.m. until 10.30 a.111. tomorrow.