NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1532, 30 August 1912, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES.

ADVICE NOT TAKEN. LAND AND INCOME TAX BILL. Some advice, which was not accepted, was offered to the Minister for Finance .in the Hou.se of Representatives yesterday, as to how ho ought to deal with the Land and Income Assessment Act. It was suggested by way of -a question without notice by Sir Joseph' Ward that the second reading should Iw moved pro forma, only, and that the Bill should ,be referred to the Public Accounts Committeo before it was debated in the House. The Minister for Finance said ho had no objection to the Bill going before the Accounts Committee, but thought it might bs sent to the committee after the second reading , . This:raised a storm of protest from Opposition members, who contended that the Bill was too complicated, and full of detail to be readily understood by the House at once, and that the Accounts' Committee ought to be allowed to review it and remove anomalies in it-. The Hon. James Allen did not even reply to the criticisms, and the discussion was ended by Mr. Speaker reminding Mr. J. A.' Hanan, who was boisterously condemning the Government, (hat there was no question before the House. A QUESTION OF POLICY. ' Report was made to-day by the Petitions M. to Z Committee on the petitions of the International Investment- Company and of 8354 others, praying for an amend-, inent of the law in regard to the sale and the purchase of tho company's bonds and debentures. The committee reported that as a question of policy was involved, .it had no recommendation to make. Tho sale of thesa bonds wa/5 declared by the Courts some weeks ago to be an pffeuco under the Gaming Act. UNRECORDED PAIR. In the division list on the Licensing Bill on Tuesday night, Mr. E. Newman was not recorded as having paired against tho Bill with Mr. A..M.. Myers for. .it, The reason why the pair was missed was that the party Whips were not sure as to whether the pair held good for a motion for adjournment. Tho critical division was taken on what was essentially a, tide issue. MORE LAND. Mr. W. C. Buchanan yesterday, gave notice to ask the Minister for liands: "Whether he will, at as early a date as possible, place at the disposal of fetters the portion of the Waitutumu Nntivo Block in the Wairarapa recently purchased by the Government; also whether lie will give instructions for tho ■piircha?o of the remainder of the block as soon as possible?" WATER-POWER. Mr. E. Newman (Itancitikoi) is to ask the Prime Minister: "Whether tho Government will so amend the law as. to enable private individuals or companies to establish wotlcs to utilise water-power subject to tho rights of the Government to acquire such works at any p future date?" ~