POLITICAL JOTTINGS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1922, Page 4

POLITICAL JOTTINGS.

WELLINGTON, leb. 4. j FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE: !; The attention 1 'of'the Minister df Agri- j culture whs called ‘by Mi’ Sykes (Mas- ; erton) to the rapid spread of foet and < mouth disease among animals in Great . Britain. The member asked if the vDe- ■ partment of Agriculture is taking ade- > quate precautions against the introduc- j tion of this disease into New Zealand, j The Hon W. Nosworthy assured the j House that every precaution is being i taken through the strict quarantine . system. i BRITISH SAILORS’ FUND. j

The fund established by the woolgrowers of Newt Zealand from surplus profits totalled £212,000 which is being utilised for the benefit of British sailors and their dependents. Income tax was paid to the extent of £95,000 on the 'original fund, and -Mr "E. Newman (Manawatu)" stated in the House today that the Income Tax Department is now demanding that payments out of the fund to Britain or other countries outside New Zealand, shall bear income tax. Ho pointed out that a considerable portion of the fund would have to be sent out of the country, so that this decision of the taxing department would he a serious burden. The committee during the course of their investigations had discovered a surprising amount of suffering among dependents of the Empire’s sailors. The Prime Minister replied that he would he glad to inquire into the position and give a definite reply later. No doubt the Commissioner of Taxes was strictly following the law, and it might mean that an amendment would have to be passed to meet the special position. As the Government was determined to sec tlie business of the country through—he was referring to the threatened Labour stonewall-- -the House might be sitting for a fortnight, in which case a number of new Bills might come forward.

COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS. “Is it a- fact,” asked the member for Invercargill (Hon J. A. Hanan) “that the ratio between the basic wage and the bonuses in different awards, varies in the same industry?” If so, he siigfested that the Government should make some provision to bring about uniformity in the reductions which would he imposed as the price of commodities falls.

“We ar t . g°ng to have enough of the Arbitration Bill in the next few days,” commented the Minister of Labour (Mr Anderson), who declined to go into this aspect of the question without notice.

A pprenttces ret renche d . The ease of two armourers’ apprentices in the Defence Department was mentioned in a. question to the Minister to-day by Mr Sullivan (Avon), who said these lads, as a result of retrenchment .were thrown out of work at a difficult age to commenOe to learn a new trade. 1 They should either he reinstated ,or given other work in the Government service as their apprenticeship had been broken in the middle of the term.

“The House wishes me to cut down Defence expenditure, so I must reduce the staff,” was the answer of the Minister (Sir Heaton Rhodes), who promised to have the complaint looked into.