LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 176, 15 April 1918, Page 6

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

THE FINANCE BILL The Legislative Council met at 10 a.m. and adjourned until the ringing of the The Council met again at 10.20 p.m. The Finance Bill was read a first lime. SIR FRANCIS BELL euggested that the Council should put the I'iuauce Bill through all its stages. The Hon. J. BARR objected to the Council being asked to deal with a Bill that had been amended considerably m the other House and that was not available i'ullv in printed form. The Hon. A. T. Mac Gibbon supported this view. SIR FRANCIS BELL said Councillors bad studied the Bill very thoroughly during recent days, and be did not think they would have any difficulty in understandiiiff the amendments. The 'Hon. J. T. PAUL protested against "rush legislation." He saw no reason whv the Council should push an important "Bill through in a hurry at a late hour of night before councillors had seen the important amendments to tho Bill. SECOND READING. STll FRANCIS BELL moved the second reading of the Bill and explained its clauses.

The Hon. J. T. RAUL objected to the "free-of-income-tax" provision. He said

a great deal of the opposition showu to the conscription of men had been duo to the lack of a similar provision u>r the conscription of wealth. He was opposed to the postponement of the general election.

The Hon. W. MACGREGOR spoke against the issue of war bonds free of income tax. The effect of this was to increase the price of money and enable large investors to put capital beyond the reach of taxation.

The Hon. W. EAUNSHAW also stated his objection to the "i'ree-of-ineome-tax" provision. The Hon. 0. SAMUEL said the Government considered that war conditions had made necessary a concession that otherwise was most undesirable. The responsibility rested with the Government. The wording of the clause relating to compulsory contributions was too vamie. The Bill was read a, second time. National Service. In Committee, Sir Francis Bell asked Councillors to add to the Bill the national service clause, which had been dropped in the Lower House. He said the original proposal had been to reintroduce the clause in the House by Governor's Message. Time could be saved bv adding the clause in the Council, 'the necessity for the clause was undoubted. The war news showed that the Government might find itself faced with a situation of immediate urgency. Drastic measures for the organisation of manpower might be necessary. The Hon. J. T. Paul protested that the Government had a habit of taking important steps in a way that wa-s sure to antagonise the workers. _ Every time the Government had acted in connection with organised labour it had taken the wrong course. When the Government wanted to do something connected with meat or butter it called a conference of the people interested, and took their views. But it always ignored the workers. The heart of organised labour was sound. But intelligence and sympathy on the part of the Government were required in order to avoid difficulties. A clause of the kind now before the Coun■cil should not be rushed upon the House and the country in the way adopted by the Government.

The Hon. .7. Barr said he thought Mr. Paul was raising a-bogie as far as this clause was concerned. The clause proposed meJely to make regulations which would come up for consideration. Mr. Masspy had given pledges on the, point, and his word could be accepted. The regulations were to he submitted to people directly" connected with labour •,matters before going into operation, and he hoped they would be considered in no dog-in-the-manger policy. Mr. Barr said that the Labour leaders who had refused to confer with the Efficiency Board had, done grievous wrong to Labour. There was no question of "slavery" in the clause. Men could nol be forced *'i work under conditions they disliked, and every Government knew that the workers dominated the country when the test came at the polls. Mr. Paul had the floor at midnight. The clause was added a few minjites later. The Bill was reported from Committee at 12.5 a.m. Expiring Laws Continuance. The Expiring Laws Continuance Bill was put tnroiigu all its stages and passed. The Council adjourned until lu a.m. to-day.