FINANCE BILL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9854, 6 November 1924, Page 6

FINANCE BILL

£ 2,000,0*00 FOR PUBLIC WORKS

HEAVIER FUNDS FOR ADVANCES OFFICE.

RELIEF AS TO TERRITORIALS WAGES.

COMMISSIONER FOR CANADA AND AMERICA.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 4. The Finance Bill which came down to-night, is a lengthy document Gt <2 clauses. , . . To a certain extent this Bill has, nowadays, become a kind of financial ‘ Washing-np Bill,” and the 1 nine Minister to-day said there were clauses jn.it which lie _ would* rather not see in a Finance Bill. Part 1 of the Bill deals with public revenue and loans. Power is taken to borrow £2,000,000 for Public Works, including irrigation There is an extension'' of the authority to borrow money for the purposes of the Advances Office from £3,000.000 to £5,000,000 in* any one financial year. . . „ . . There is provision for an increase ot the limit of the Imprest Account from £lo*o,ooo to £150,000. The Minister of Finance is to he authorised to pay. out of the Consolidated Fund £375,000 for the preference, Bank of New Zealand shares proposed to be created and issued by the Bank of New Zealand pursuant to the authority conferred on the hank. It is proposed to establish a Government Stores Marine Insurance Fund. Relief to employers is proposeu, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Act or in any award or agreement under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, T9OS, or in any contract. No person shall hereafter ho required to pay to any person in his employment or service by way of salary or wage.; in respect of r.r.'y person during which such lastmentioned person may bo in attendance at a training camp held for the purposes of the Defence Act, 1909, an amount more than the excess of the salary and wages that would have been payable if the section' had not been passed' over the amount of the allowance paid to such person out of the Public Account in respect of his attendance at such camp. Every member of the General Assembly'shall he entitled, during each financial year, to receive for his owif exclusive use in that year tickets for not more than twenty-four passages between the port most convenient of access to bis home and any other port in New Zealand for the purpose of enabling him to come from, his home to 'Wellington or to return 1 home from Wellington. Wives of members are to he entitled to tickets for six passages. The Parliamentary delegates to South Africa are to receive £l5O each for expenses. Lady Salmon d is to receive an annuity of £2OO in recognition of the public services of her late husband. The Governor-General -in - Conned may. from time to time, appoint a •Commissioner for New Zealand in Canada and the United States of America, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor-General. '!'he Commissioner shall carry out such instructions as lie receives, from the New Zealand Government respecting the commercial interests of New Zealand in relation! to Canada and the United States. He shall not ho accredited to the Governments of those countries, nor shall ho communicate directly or indirectly with those Governments unless specially directed by the Nc-w/ Zealand Government to make or receive such communication in respect to any particular matter of trading or commercial interest. Part 2 of the Bill deals with various matters connected with the Superannuation Fund. There is a clause restoring the right of election* to become a' contributor to the Teachers’ Superannuation Fund. Another clause provides that the Teachers’ Superannuation Board may allow a contributor to count for superannuation purposes any period prior to his becoming a contributor if it is satisfied that his becoming a contributor was delayed by reason of -.service with the Expeditionary Force. A few individual cases are specially dealt with. There are special provisions for payment of retiring allowances to magistrates. An annual retiring allowance is to he computed as follows: For every year of service as a stipendiary magistrate, whether such service is continuous or not. lie shall receive one fortieth part of the annual salary receivable by him at the date of his .retirement, but in r.o case shall the retiring allowance exceed twenty,fivefortieths of such salary. There arc necessary payments from salary provided for an'd other details.—Special.

DISCUSSION ON SECOND HEADING. WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. i n the House Hr Massey formally moved the second reading of the Finance Hill. Mr IVilford complained that mi hr the Hill certain moneys provided under the Hiley scheme were being diverted, and the rate of interest leing raised from 4.V to 5J- per cent., v liich together with sinking-fund, ncruld constitute a heavy impost on the people if spread over a long period of years. Mr Wiiford pointed out that power was given to issue an Or.'Dr in--Couneil to impose on gas companies a levy of 15s per million feet .-old during the previous year, and wanted to know what effect this impost was going to have on liouseli >* iers losing gas. After the luncheon adjournment, the House continued the discussion on the Finance Bill.

Mr Sullivan objected to clause 73 whch gives the Governor-General power to suspend certain Acts relative to labor conditions at the Dunedin exhibition. He maintained this would result in unfair competition, and in abuses of Arbitration Court awards. The. Labor Party would cbal'enge this clause if it were insisted on. Mr Veiteh contended that borrowing large sums in London as proposed under the Dll would have a very disturbing effect on exchange. Mr Mcnteith complained that clause 23 relieved an employer ot tho necessity of paying hoys sent to c.imp their weekly wage. In cases where there were a number of hoys in a family this was going to prove a great handicap, and lie would oppose the clause to the utmost. Mr Massey, replying, said the transfers proposed under clause 7 referred to amounts unexpended from votes 'made for certain works, so they could be used for other works. Under clause 18 the amount proposed to he paid local bodies in respect of timber royalties could be about £17,000. Referring to agricultural hanks he considered the proposals in the Bill introduced promised better service to the country than anv other country. He had had that F.dl held ever because of the excessive demand by those interesting themselves in the matter. Mr Massey said he could not help thinking, however., that the State Advances .Department furnished as fine financed assistance as anyone could derive. Parliament, during the present session, had given a great deal of assistance to the producing industries.

The Dill was read a. second time, put through the committee, and reported with minor amendments, rrd read a. third time and passed.—P.A.