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PARLIAMENT

YESTERDAY'S SITTING

THE FINANCIAL DEBATE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL The Legislative Council met nt 2.30 XJ.ni. Leave of absence was granted to the Hon. Sir (J. C'. iiowon for the remainder oi' the session on account oi ill-health. LATE BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHNSTON. The lion. O. SAMUEL moved that tlie Council should place on record its sincere condolence auu sympathy with the Speaker, the lion. C. J. Joluis-ton, in thy 10-s of iiis son, lfrigadier-Ueneral Francis Earl Johnston, killed in action in France. He said that the Speaker had lost two sons in the service of the Empire during the present war, as well as a son-in-law. Their names had been added to an imperishable roll of honour, and the Council could do no more than state its sympathy and its sorrow. The Hon. Captain W. D. H. BAILLIE seconded the motion. He said that lie had known Brigadier-General Johnston as a boy, and later as a soldier. New Zealand was losing many of her noblest sons in the cause of humanity. The sympathy of every member of the Council went to the bereaved parents. The motion was carried. THE TEA DUTY. The Regulation of Trade and Commerce Amendment Bill , was received from the House of Representatives. SIR FRANCIS HELL stated that the Bill was intended to prevent the amount of the duty being added to stocks of tea on which the duty had not been paid. The Bill was put through all its stages and passed. The Council adjourned at 3 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day. THE HOUSE The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. SIR JOSEPH WARD (Minister ol Finance) asked the indulgence ol the House to bring up for second reading and iiiial disposal the New Zealand Inscribed Stock Bill. , This indulgence was granted, ana the Houso proceeded to consideration ol the Bill. , ■ , ~, The Bill went through all stages without debate.

THE FINANCIAL DEBATE MORE ABOUT TAXATION Mr. P. MANDER (Marsden) resumed the debate on the Budget. He said 'that tho very big borrowing and taxation pionosals ot the Government had been generally accepted by the people, the reason being that the Government was doing only what was necessary or prudent in order to provide funds to carry on the war. He was glad to note that the proposal to confiscate capital had found little favour. Confiscation should be the very latit resource of a Government, lie considered that the graduations ot the ineomo tax should not ceiise at rs. bd. in tlie pound on incomes ot .LbMRI. me tax should go on increasing iu heaviness even beyond this level. He «aa afraid that the mortgage tax would be burdensome on the small farmer who did not earn enough to be an income tax payer. He had always been opposed to the mortgage tax, and he could ha-\e wished 'that the tax had not been reimposed. He thought it would have been wiser to take more by way of income tax. He did not think the Defence authorities should tako every man ot the land just yet. There were men in the cities behind drapers' counters, in lawvers' offices, and elsewhere who could 'much better be spared. He was of O P|»ion that tlie Government should not send into camp boys of nineteen yearc. of age. They were not lit 101 the n 0 ours°of war service. ' Mr. Buddo: You never heard ot anj youngsters breaking down. J Mr Marsden said lie was opposed to the lea 'tax. He would have lilted to see tiio tax on beer increased.

A Legacy of Debt—and Freedom,

Jfr. C. H. POOLE (Auckland AVest) said that the present generation would leave to posterity a legacy ot debt, but it would leave also a price ess heritage of freedom and privilege. All sane sacntice was justified at present 10. order to win the war, and to give freedom to the race and safety to the Empire. ihe (lovernmcnt had m»t. ' punch enough ioi him, but the man who held tlie portfolio of Finance at present was rendering an invaluable »eivico to the Dominion, Ihe I* at . ,o ™.| Government was i.lio b<?=t hated political institution in New Zealand history, but most people recognised that it would have to be tolerated for the present. It was, at best, an organisation o compromise, and the House must make tho best possible use of it. Ihe Conservatives dill not liko the Government be-c-ucc as tliev said, they were oppressed, and" the Liberals did not like thegovernment becausi-, as they said, itj allow<"l them to be exploited. Be was doiu a his best to support the National Government, but after tlio war, when the present crisis was over, he would not an> lonirer stand for compromise-. lie deprecated vcrv strongly the to'.vn-against-counlry cry. Their interests were interdependent. Wh--:. the Government took (he Second Division for war service, it nuist recognise its vcrv heavy financial obligation to tho dependants of the men. For vests ami vears after the war men would bo breaking down prematurely owing to constitutions wrecked by tuo severity of war conditions, t here would l>e obligations to lie met by- the :omitrv There would be petitions tor compassionate allowances coming m for \no next half-century. ITo was sorry .ho Government had not done more to keep down the cost of living. He was glad the Prime minister had set np .he Cost of Living Committee, but he wished Hie Government had set up the committee about two years ago. Prices had been allowed to soar, and now the committie was to inquire how it happened aim what was to be done about it. A problem had been created neec essly He was very much opposed to tho policy cutting 'out suburban trains, be.ieviug that this was adding to the cost ot living. Generally he approved of tho contents of the Budget.

Taxation or Borrowing? Mr. C. J. TALBOT (Tomuka) said that, bis as the taxation was, lie did not think that the Government had taken by taxation enough of the huge sums of ! money coming to this country for produce We should finance Hie war i-s much as possible out of taxation ;n----hlend of out of borrowed money. Moreover, taxation was the remedy for extravagance, and there had been too iv uoh extravagance m this country. The policy of the present should be io take as much as possiblo of the nation's income lo meet the cost of file war. He would like to see some distinction inaiTe between earned and unearned incomes. Jlr. Talbot advocated special taxation 011 bachelors and on families which had not sent any men io the war. The laud taxation proposed in ilie Budget seemed to take more in proportion from the small holder than from the large holder. That was a point that would have lo be studied in connection with Ihe taxation proposal?. Land aggregation was proceeding. imul he. fell, that it ought to be stopped l.y means of a very stiff graduated U'x on the larger estates. He objected lo the lea duty. It would be better to put a small lax 011 meat or wool. The Government seemed to nave followed 'tlio line of least resistance, and that was its failing. The policy of the Government should be to restrict amusements as uuteli as possible, ami the Government, be thought, had not gone far enough in this direction. There should bo more (axes on luxuries. He would bo in favour of stopping racing during the war period. Many racing men shared liis opinion on that point. He advocated the stopping of Territorial camps in the war period. The debate was adjourned on tlio 1110I lion cf Mr. C. Tl. Slnthani, and tlie 1 House rose at 10.47 pjn.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19170816.2.45

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3164, 16 August 1917, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,292

PARLIAMENT Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3164, 16 August 1917, Page 6

PARLIAMENT Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3164, 16 August 1917, Page 6

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