POLITICAL JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1925, Page 1

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

HIGHWAYS' HOARD. Replying lo the proposal that a Highways Hoard for the North. Island and another Tor tile South Island, should he provided, tho Prime .Minister states that the Government has no intention of amending the .Main Highways Act in the direction indicated. Although the conditions its between the forth till’d South islands considerably differ, the Board is well acquainted with both Islands, and adequately understands and represents them. A conference of the District Highways Councils was held in M ellington within the last lew weeks, and although every South island Council was represented in force, no mention of a separate hoard or complaint as to its absence was voiced. AGRICULTURAL COURSE. The .Minister of education states that it is difficult to see how many more free places can he provided for hoys who wish to take up the study ol agriculture. Every free place holder may take up the agricultural course if he desires. The difficulty has been, not that of making provision for this study, hut- of getting hoys to take tip the course in agriculture, for which provision in every type of post pi imary schools is in excess ol the demand. M ith regard to bursaries tenable at Ruakura or Lincoln College, ample provision is made lor all hots who have qualified through an ngi i(lultural course under the free place svstem at secondary and technical schools. TAX EXEMPTIONS. To the l,and and Income lax Act llfjlt. the special exemption granted in respect of mortgages was increased, lo £IOOO. disappearing when the unimproved value cl the land reached £BOOO, This exemption in respect ol mortgages was lurtlier incioased la the Land and Income Tax Amendment Act. 1921. from £IOOO to £.10,000, the exemption disappearing when the unimproved value of the land reached C 15.000. At present, says the Minister of Finance, it is not thought prudent further to increase the exemption. BROADCASTING. The new broadcasting company v\d! receive £1 os out ol evol \ license let of £1 10s. There will he no fees available for municipal councils. In nutcase. a satisfactory broadcasting service would not he provided by numerous stations of low power, says the Postmaster-General. An agreement to provide a service lor live years has been completed. It is not proposed to refund any portion of the license fees to either radio dealers or listeners in. For nearly two years prior to April Ist. listeners received the benefit ol broadcasting without the payment oi fees. Since that date an existing broadcasting station in each of the four centres has been subsidised to the extent of £ls per week. These payments have absorbed the whole til the license fees received, and it is the Government's desire to assist the piouocis of broadcast ing as well as listeners, tintil such time as tho new stations are creeled. Broadcasting can only he successfully carried out hv co-opcral ion, and that is the policy of iho Government. Tho arrangement was the best that could he made to prevent the stations from closing down altogether.