LAND AND INCOME TAX

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2810, 30 June 1916, Page 7

LAND AND INCOME TAX

THE MORTGAGE TAX POSSIBLE REINSTATEMENT ! rhe Legislative : Council -met at 2.30 FUNDS OF PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES. fr Hon., A. T. IIAGIN NITY. put the wuomng questions to the Leader of the ® Whether, -in . th<y opinion of . the Government, the time has not now ai rived for the transfer to tlio National ,War Funds Council, constituted under Section 8 of the War ITunds Act 1915, all war funds at present in the hands of trustees or other person or. persona in the Dominion for administration by that Council ? . (2) Whether the information respecting all suoh funds has boen duly supplied to the Minister in terms of-Sec-tion 9of the said Aot? (3) Whether the respcctire funds as aforesaid have been audited in. terms of Section 19 of the 6aid Aot; and, if so, whether tho Government will lav upon the table the reports of the auditor or, auditors in rospect of such funds or causa the enmo to be published in terms of Section 20 of the eaid Aot?

SHI FRANCIS BELL said that the answer to the first question was "No." The reply to question 2 was that over SCO 'societies had supplied toe information required by law. Probably at least a hundred societies had, so far neglected to 6upply the information, but, in theso cases every effort was being made to ob- ■ tain these particulars. In answer to the third question, he said, that np to' December 31 last some 400 balance-sheets of sooieties had been, received in the ; Andit Office, and were now being, dealt with. They would be laid before Parliament in duo course. MILITARY SERVICE BILL'. '•• NEW CLAUSES. ' : Tho Military Service Bill, was further 'considered in Committee. Sir Francis Bell moved the insertion of the following new' clause:—(l) The Governor may Irom time to time, by Order-in-Council, mako regulations • requiring tho attestation, in 1 such form or forms as may be prescribed:—(a) Of members of the Expeditionary Force or of any olass or olasses of such members; x>r (b) of persons who may offer to become members of that Foroo by voluntary enlistment, before their acceptance-as suoh members. (2) Such, attestation may be taken by any officer of • tho Defence Forces before whom the oath of allegiance may be taken pursuant to Section 8 of the prinoipal Act, or by any person authorised in that behalf by regulations under this section. (3) Every person who, having become subject to military law, is proved to have made a wilfully false answer to any question 6et forth in his attestation paper, as prescribed by regulations under this section, 6hall be liable in the same manner in all respects aS if he had committed an offence against Section 33 of the Army Act (relating to false declarations on enlistment). ■ (4) For the purposes of this section, the term "attestation'' has the same meaning as in the Army Act. Sir Francis Bell said that the particulars specified in the proposed new clause were necessary in order that both divisions of the National Reservo might be properly classified. '■"' •"■ The Hon. J. Barr commented on the extensive powers which were being given to the Governor-in-Counoil. He thought that a great deal of these matters might be dealt with under schedules to Bills. The Hon. J. T. Paul said that very often very misleading information was given by recruits on enlisting. For in; stance, some of those who had convictions recorded against them' did • nol mention the fact. In one case an undesirable man had-got into camp',- and he was there for .some time before his real character was discovered. In the meantime many articles which usually were stationary had become moveable. The-result waa a petition! to have the man removed. In reply to the Hon. G. Carson, Sir Francis Bell said that it was' proposed to bring the penalties for false attestation info line-with tlie penalties' provided in the British Army Act, viz., inn prisonment, or a less penalty. The Hon. J. T. Paul said that a man who got into trouble would always find men in camp ready to lend liim a helping hand, but there was an objection .when a hardened criminal got into camp without the facts of his career being known. The Hon. G. Jones said it"should not be allowed to go forth that there wero many men of the type referred to by Mr. Paul. The proportion of cases of the kind.was very small indeed. The new clause was adopted without Sdtoration, and the Bill was reported. DISCHARGED SOLDIERS' SETTLEMENT BILL. SECOND. READING CARRIED. SIR FRANCIS BELL moved the second reading of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Amendment Bill, the provisions of which he briefly explained. The Hon. R. MOORE supported the Bill, but he pointed out some difficulties that would probably occur in carrying out the scheme, in view, of tho fact that many of the soliders were not experienced in farming work. He hoped that » certain, latitude would be allowed to. those administering tho Act in order that every chance should be given to the deserving man. SIR WALTER BUCHANAN doubted tho wisdom of tho stipulation that no .' moro than 100 acres of land could be takon up in one holding when .the value was £S an acre or over. Thero was n great deal of land worth £8 an acre or moro which could not be ploughed, and which was suitablo only for carrying ' sheep. He thought that a radical alteration was required in this.clause.. Hesuggested that tho classification" of land should provide for. more than three classes. '■' The Hon. W. MORGAN, in supporting the Bill, asked what wa6 going to bo dono for thoee soldiers who woro not fitted for going on tho land, but who had relinquished clerical and other occupations in order to go' to the front. Tho Hon. J..BARR said that ho thought that attention should be paid to tho advico of so experienced a settler as Sir Walter Buchanan regarding a. change in tho classification' of land. Ho condemned tho extensive land gambling .which he said was now going on. The Hon. G. JONES urged that every consideration should bo extended to tho returned soldiers. Ho thought" we had itow reached tho stage when it was impossible S'or men to make a living out of resumed land. If tho State- had conscripted somo of tho largo estates, it would havo boen a seusiblo .. procedure. The policy adopted in regard to.returned soldiers was not what it should havo been. Ho dealt at somb length with tho Bonmoro Estate. Tho Act, ho said, must be backed up by sound administration. Sir Francis Bell: You cannot havo a Rounder administration than at present. . The Hon. G. Jones: If the honourable gentleman wore tho only administrator, I might agreo with him, but ho has colleagues. Ho is associated with a certain party, and you never know .what that party may do. A member: You think that tho party mixturo is a bad one? (Laughter.) Tho Hon. J. T. PAUL said that unless the Aot were administered with a firm and courageous hand nothing would be accomplished by it. Ho referred to tho gift of land for the benefit of returned Soldiers which had been made by Mr. G. Hunter, M.P. It mado one fool proud to live in a community which contained a donor who was prepared to mako such e generous gift. (Hear, hear.) The Hons. B. HARRIS and J. FISHER supported tha Bill. ' Sir Francis Bell said he would defer bis reply until the tliird reading. The Bill was read a second time, and jj&a committal stago sot down for to(aorrow. The Oounoil rose at 4.40 p.m.