TAX ON WAGES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 194, 9 April 1932, Page 5

TAX ON WAGES

("i'ost" Special 'Commissioner)'

. qr wohehi EFFQRt4 to sfctas protlsfdn for relief or exemption taxation of newbboys

' WELLINGTON, Friday. The p'ropbsal.in the Unemployirient Amendment Bill tb increri.se the unemployment wage and salary charge to 1{~ in ;the £, gave rise to tfie chief discussion when tbe Committee st'age oii the Bill ; was ; reacheH in the House of Representatives ekrly tliis .morhing: The motion to exeriipt those in rOceipt of less than .£1 per week was deferifed riftey the Minister Ithe Rt. Ilbn. ?• Coates) hrid. promised to copsider framinj ri proviso tb nieet tie case. • , Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central) moved that c.onsideration of ihe blause fixipg thf charge be postt0 ©Arible the Oovernment to Siibsti^ite ari equitabjie gradu^tefi. unemployriient charge for the propos'ed flat-ra.te chrirge. Mr Fraser said he did npt think newsbPys and those earnmg similarly small wriges should be hsked to- contribute tb th'e unem|)loyinent f urid. • ' l,Mr. C. H. Clinkard (Government, Rotorua), asked..the Minister. to',. consider relieving from payment of the tax those receivirig iess tiian £1 per week. • The Leader of the Opposition, Mr H." E: Holland, po'irited ' but that the rroposed tax mearit a 300 per cent. ncrease on wage workers, who would )e suffering a 25 per. cent. cut^ (iniluding thiS yerir's reductibnj iri {he ast two years. ' Mr. Fraser's mo'tibri was lost by 35 votes to 26 vp^es. A- Wilkinsori (indejpendent Sgmorit) then moveb to exempt those •eceivirig less than £l vper week. The lmpost, he said, would he utterly unf air arid he was astonished to find ;hat a newsboy was to be taxed. Mr. Coates said that if they exempted married men helow; £2 per week and single men nearing 25/- or less per week, they would lose £400,000 fier anriuip. He agreed that they should not tax schoolboys,, and he was prepared tp consider the question. The Unemployment Board had power to mplce exemption. Mr. W. E. Barnard (.labour, Napier): It should not be left to the board. Consider ation for Workless Mr. Coates said that his main considetatipri was the riirin' oiit. bf work. It was itp to those in work ,to help to keep those Who Were orit bf work:

1 Mr. F. Langstone (Labour, Waimarinri), sriid it ill hecairie the Glovernment to refuse to .accept the riinendmerit. .He ; hoped Gpi^rriment members wouid nb't cottseiit tb b-e flpgged into thb lobby to vote agriinst the amendment. The Chairman of Committees (Mr. S. (J. Bxriith) : Order, ordep. Mr. Langstone: It is true, anyhow. Mr. Sriiith said Mr, Langstohe mtist have regard for Standirig Orders. Mr. Langstone: No decept person would Stand foi' this. I will say it a thousand times, in the House, br put of it. It is mean and eontemptible for the Governmeiit (Mr Smith: Order, Order, Order!) to refuse to accept such hn ariiendment. - Mr. Smith: I asjc the honourable gentleman to restrain himSelf. ' Mr. Langstone said it was bad grace for the Ministry not to accept the amendment. i Mr. Coates said he would try to draft a clause excludirig children pf rinder 17 or 20 yearS of age who were barning . a, certain wage.. Mt: Wiikinsori: Meriibers pf the Coalition Party will find it very difficult to support thb Minister in this. Mr. Will?insori sriid he was nbt satisfied with the Minister's pssurance rind he wbhid presS for a ciivision.

Qiiestiori of Confidence Mr, Coates. Then it will be taken definitely as a no confidence vote for the reason that the honourable gentleman is forcing the situation, I gave my word to the House that I would do certain things and I expected it to be accepted. I don't like my word bandied about. ; Mr. Cpates said he did not know why Mr Wilkinson had introduced party Spleen. "I am anxious to meet this position," he said. If the honourable gentleman i£ determined.to drive the rimendment to the , last he must accept the resppnsibility. The. amendment was defeated by 38 votes to 24 votes, Messrs H. Atmore,. A. M. Srimuel, C. A. Wilkinson rind R. A. Wright voting with the Labour, .Prirty. Mr. McCombs moved that no woman should he- lirible to) pay the unemployment tax unless defiriite provisiori was made foi* payipent 'to women of sus^enSnqe bn adequalte wages. This rimendriient was lost by • 39 votes to 24 .votes. Ari aipendment was moved hy Mr.' F. W. Schramm (Labour, Auckland East) seeking to. ekempt from t.ax blind women employed. at the Jubilee Institute for .the Blind ;at Auckland, hui? it was withdrawn after Mr. Cprites had' expre'ssed the opinion that these , Criseg Could be friet under the . hardship clause arid that,' if that was ; riot fQund satisfactory, it rriight he, possible .to deal with the matter by - Order-in,-Council. j ' • 1 Mr.' H. Atirio're (Independent, Nelson) sought to exempt women arid girls from the payment of trix unless ' ri defiriite sqhefrie • was provided for their. relief.' This was lost by 36 votesto 24 Votes: ■ . - • Mr. J: HargeSt (Governirien|;, invercargill) joined forces with the Opposition on this questio.fi. ;