Unemployment Levy Agreed To By House

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1068, 4 September 1930, Page 1

Unemployment Levy Agreed To By House

AMENDMENTS RULED OUT LABOUR’S OPPOSITION Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Consideration of the Unemployment Bill was resumed in Committee by the House of Representatives this evening. Mr. W. J. Jordan (Labour —• Manukau), moved an amendment to the unemployment levy clause, providing that women should be included in the scheme. He said statistics showed that 60 per cent, of ■women employed in New Zealand were actually breadwinners. There was a movement on the part of women's organisations in favour of Including women wage-earners because they experienced the same anxiety concerning the labour larket as men did. The Chairman. Mr. W. A. Bodkin, ruled the amendment out of order because it involved taxation. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour — Napier) moved an amendment that women workers should be empowered at their option to register under the same conditions as those applying to male workers. This amendment was ruled out of order on the same ground. Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Independent—■ Grey Lynn) moved that the word “male” should be struck out wherever it appeared in the clause, but the chairman, in ruling the amendment out of order, pointed out that such a change woulld immediately involve : female workers in the scheme and would therefore involve taxation. PROVISION IN BILL WANTED The Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, urged the Government \ to make provision itself in the Bill for | women workers. Mr. W. Nash (Labour —Hutt) moved 1 an amendment providing that the annual rate of contributions should ha on the basis of 25s for all incomes under £3OO, with an additional shilling for every £IOO of income over £3OO. For an income between £1.900 and £2.000 would contribute £S 1 Ss. The Chairman ruled the amendment out of order on the ground that ! it involved taxation. j Rising to a point of order, Mr. P. ■ Fraser (Labour —Wellington Central > contended it did not involve extra tax- ; ation, but only involved a variation m : the method of taxation. The Chair- | man’s ruling was upheld by the 1 Speaker. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. ; G. Smith, said the Government considered the unemployment problem | among male workers was so serious ; that it was desirable at present to concentrate efforts in that direction. Other aspects could be considered later. The Bill would provide fne basis of a scheme and the experience gained between now and the next session of Parliament would place members in a better position to judge whether women should be Included. INCOME-TAX RULED OUT The next amendment to be ruled i out of order was that of Mr. H. E. , Holland, who moved that the annual I contribution should be one penny in the pound on incomes up to £2OO, the basis ot levy to be increased by onefour hundredth of a penny for each \ additional £1 over £2OO. The clause was then passed. The Minister's amendment to the ; exemption clause, providing that any j pensioner under the Act of 1926, in- ; stead of merely old age pensioners, ! should be exempted from contributing, j was adopted. The Minister submitted a further j amendment to the exemption clause ! giving Maoris the option of deciding i whether they should come under the ! scheme. ! Mr. Barnard suggested the amend- ! ment would leave it open for wealthy ; Maoris to contribute nothing. The amendment was adopted. Mr. Jordan moved an amendment extending exemption from contributions to apply to all persons who. duvi ing the year prior to the due date for payment of the levy, had not received i any income by wages or salary. Mr. Smith said the board would be able to deal with such cases, i The amendment was rejected on a | division by 41 votes to 31. Progress was reported and th« j House rose at 10.30 p.m.