PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1921, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

SPECIAL TO (JL'AHI)IAN. OATH OF. ALLEGIANCE. The Statutes Revision Committee ol tho Legislative Council lias amend,.d the provision of the Education Amendment Bill relating to the oath ol allegiance. The Bill now provides that managers ol any private school shall he liable to a line'of 250 if they employ any teacher who has not taken the oath of allegiance. The clause lias boon made wider so as to include teachers in schools of all kinds. The Bill is still before the Council. ACCIDENT INSURANCE.

The House discussed accident insurance most of the afternoon. Return.show that insurance companies pay to injured workers less than hall the amount of the premiums paid by employers. The rest of the money is absorbed by office and legal expenses. Members on both sides' of the House urged that Government ought to make accident, insurance a State monopoly. M could then afford to give increased benefits to workers without any extra cost to employers. The Minister stated in reply that- New Zealand gave greater benefits to injured workers than any other country and that it would not be just or reasonable lo attack the business of companies that were working in a legitimate way. COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE.

The Minster for Education stated in •insv o,- to a question that he did not intend to use his authority to raise the compulsory school age to fifteen next year. This reform must wait- untß Government could afford to provide extra accommcdatnon and teaching strength. He hoped to he able to make a start !n some of the centres in 1925. ALLOWANCE TO COUNTRY SCHOLARS.

The Minister for Education announced smite time ago that the lodging allowance naid to country children attending Di-trict High Schools in towns would be withdrawn. He indicated ladov in tho lions." that the decision was being reconsidered. He had received tunin' requests that the concession should he continued and ho believed thn> tile payment of the allowance was of real assistance to many hnekhlnek settlers. who weie enabled to keen their liovs at school bou'or than would otherwise be the ease. He was inclined therefore to ask Government to continue tho allowance. THE ’XMAS VACATION.

There is legislation before the House at present, which it is necessary to pass into law Yieforc we adjourn for the ’Xmas holidays, said tho Prime Minister. will'll lie was asked in the House i f ho would agree to adjourn on December 21M in order that all members of tic If use might get 1 home for ’Xmas. T would go glad to comply with the wish of members, but tho mutter does not rest entirely with me. As soon as that legislation is passed I shall he glad lo tell lion members when T propose to take the adjournment. WAS IT A THREAT. That sounds like a threat, remarked tllie Leader of the Labour Party, who bad announced, during the preceding sitting of tin' House that bis party intended to exhaust the forms of the House in opposing the Finance Bill, which ini'i'eases the amusement tax, and provides lor a rebate of income tax. MOIiTG At: EX EXTENSION. WELLINGTON. Dee. 1(1. 'Pile Mortgages and Deposits Extension Bill lias been returned to the House by the Statutes Revision Committee in a niueh amended form. Protection to Mortgagors given by the Vet of 1919 is extended until December Illst.. 1921, subject to various provisions. The minimum rate of Interest on mortgages extended under the new legislation is to In' fij per cent. New provisions regarding deposits provide that firms and bodies holding money on deposit, must use the first for repayment of old deposits. Companies milking debenture issues other than mortgage debentures to secure current account with banks must use the proceeds to meet the debts incurred by wav of borrowings on deposit. FINANCE BILL.

The debate on the .second rending of the Finance Bill occupied Hie House in the evening. The Prime Minister staled that lie intended to propose an amendment giving ivajonablo exemptio from the amusement tax to the lower priced tickets. His idea was to make the tax one penny in the shilling The Bill was read a second tirno at 2 a.m.