RECENT SESSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1923, Page 4

RECENT SESSION.

■■ ■ ■ —■ THE WORK DONE. WELLINGTON. Oct. 8. The Prime .Minister’s hurried departure from New Zealand before the a -t----ual close of the session made it impossible for him to stive his customary review of the legislation enact 'd during the sitting of I'ariialilent. Mr .Mas-'ey however, lias kindly forwarded from Rarotonga, his first port of call, a brief review of the work accomplished •hiring the session. Mr Massey states that, while it u. - not the longest, it was certainly one of the most .strenuous, important and useltd sessions that New Zealand had ret experienced. Alter Humorous want-ni-conlidence motions had been disposed of. the tirst important policy legislation to be dealt with was lh<> Slate Advances Act Amendment Hill, which j mvided for an increase in the maximum amount which might be lent to sell! -rs irnm £20:0 to L'SOOO, and ,t!ia> liny bight borrow up to !)1 per cent, ol ilc cost of a dwelling, and the section upon which it stands, the mortgage to be

i'cp;i\ahle ill twenty, thirty, or tliinv--ix years. sinkiii-.: fund to he arrany,[ mcordmoly. Another lliil of primary importa'iee which u;\s lie,-ill with u.i-oiie pruviditio that -o|.io-r .settlers should he |ihieeil in n in..re satisfactory po-itimi than I'-ey had hit herio occupied. (mod work had heeii dime in this connection. Arr'irs now owuiiuc hy soldier seniors. would uni he railed up for leu years, nr until ihe lam! occupied had heen . ..Id, In neither ease would interest lie (harped lor tlie term mentioned. Soldier settler- who mi ile.-ire may mm have tlieii land revalued and the rental adjusted atetirdiiif'ly. Where such rcadjuslmcn takes place, the reduced rate of rente or interest would operate from duly litlM. and an additiiimil amount won! he advaneed to those soldier scUk’l'

who bad given proof cn their willingness In make good. Ihe military pensions leglisation, said Mr Massey, habeen amended by making better tirovision for incapacitated or partially incapacitated men. The Land and Income Tax Consolidation Bill was an importatnt measure, inasmuc h as one of the new provisions abolished income tax on tanners, which had been in operation since the earlt days of the war. and which bad been imposed lor war purposes. 1 his provision was in fulfilment of several promises which had been made by the Minister of Kiminee during the years which have intervened. The Land and Income Tax Bill reduced the tale of income tax bv Iff) par cent, and did away with wlial remained ol the supertax on land. The penalty for late payment on both laud and income lax was reduced to 1 per cent. There was also a readjustment of debenture tax, so as to-bring the latter more into line with ordinary tax on income. A considerable- reduction was also made in the rate of amusement tax. tickets of admission up to and including one -hilling being exempted from tax. The tax on racing stakes was reduced in accordance with a promise made when it was imposed in 11)21. namely, that it should he revised two years later. I lie duty on ten was abolished, and satisfactory arrangements were made for the supply of sugar in the Dominion for the coming twelve months. ‘•The Dairy Fruduce Export Control Bill." said the Prime Minister, "is a comparatively new departure, ami i!s .success or otherwise will depend upon the ability of the beard to be set up to conduct its operations. It is in he hoped that the very lies! men nailable will be selected for the imporlan! duties connected with the working ol the Act. This legislation does let come into operation until a referendum ol dairy farmers has been taken, and a majority have voted for the Act." Authority was also taken in the IN innoe Bill to provide additional monev when the moratorium ended, in the event of more capital being require.l. Not the leaset important legislation dealt with during the session was 'lie provision in lie- l-'inam ■ Bill enabling the CoverumoiH to take up .'Lid Kill now share- now being is-ue.l by ‘.be Bank of New Zealand. This v. a- a very satisfactory deal, and placed the S.aie

in a more imporluni pi.-itton in regard to lm- bank' t Inin it Inn! ’nil lierln o -,-u----jiied. Financial jpan i-iou was aLo '-mde for the coming: into operation ol Hie Main Highways Am.

11l view nl lln’ I!'.*!;f!-iI ( inn .i)i*ll ii<■ i iin|iih i,!iii in:il li r* l ■ a!i wl•' n was t-tsiiti>;in the Naturalisation ; i' A Ill'll.' Hill- Till' point in issn > v ins whether Now Zealand should :ifus citizens persons admitted In l in* privileges uf iil i• 11s! 1 if) in anv •. Ilu r country of tin' Empire. ll v -:i•> «*mJ.-'iil”-’ ' I thal tliis v.a- a matter <*i the groat -t i liiport anr e, ani! uii».‘ about wliiih 11 wn ■ n■ Iry in !«? exceedingly in l ll l . Tlif lull l .'iiiiiincil practically a- ii 1. :iIn’fi• r.' and 1 li'i'sims coming from other British o.imit rics mill i 11 1 ■■in 1i 1 i:jc in 1 >•- 1 mile pviinaimnt Hritisli resideins ’ll .New Zealand must give s‘ me ;j n.l r 11toe c| their fitne-;-; lielnre tlie j-ri.i----logos of lifttnralisalion could he < >:- tended to tlioiti. “Tlr-ro were many oilier legislative onnctmenis dealt iv i i li." added iim I’rime Mini-tor. “ulm-h it is unnecr--sarv to mention here. If Parham -lit hail hooi) ahle to continiio in session for another inontli stiflieient business, hi all probability, would have b-on lomnl to engage flic attention ol nieinli vs, The seeoml session ol Parliament, w. i n is generally designated the ‘work.ng session.’ will take place next year. in regard to the importance and piiahtr of the work done, the recent session has been an exception, and T think the country before very Ion;; will find the benefit of most of the measures wlimli have been dealt with during the pist tliree months. It should not he lorgotteli, also that Parliament this ses-

sion affirmed the decision ol the 1.0vernincut to revert 10 penny postings ;is from Oetoher Ist. thus bringing N*-w Zealand again to the lore as the hreountrv to return to this pri 11 c-i;di' 'iiwe the war. a fact which ha- already attraclcfl consideralih attention abroad. Legislation dealing with oh 0toral rcfiirm, the licensing finest ion : nd several other matters will stand over till next .session. I am glad in admit that there was a general desire on die part of most members to facilitate e ; 1 - sideration of business, and enable Ihe

session to lie blought to a ( lose in tinii for in" to take my departure from I lit Dominion for the purpose ol' represent ing Xew Zealand at the Imperial foil feronee in London next inontli.