PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 260, 9 December 1909, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

e* «—— J. .WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 8. { LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, last Night. In the Council in the afternoon, the Hon. W, Caracross moved—"That in the opinion of the Council, every trading institution that has a superannuation or pension scheme, and is carrying on business in the Dominion, should he compelled to have in connection with such scheme a system of surrender val.ic for the benefit of contributors." ne pointed to the unsatisfactory state of affairs in this'conneclion at present, .-.nd contended that tho time had come when the Legislature shoald take steps to flecure to all contributors some share ti their contributions upon retirement. Hon. Dr. Findlay thought if the State interfered with these superannuation funds they might not be carried on. and It would be unwise for the State to do anything that would give the banks an excuse to abolish such a scheme. There ma another reason why the State should not interfere. It was the dutv of the Government to provide a superannuation fund lur every honest man in the country, and to fee that every man should have an opportunity of providing for his old age. and not be iike a ! s Master's ass—wear out his life for merely provender, and when old be eashiered. This was going to be the law Of this country sooner or later. •The Magistrate's Court Amendment Bill was passed. The New Plymouth Recreation and Racecourse Reserves Exchange BiH, and the Timaru Loans Consolidation Bill were read a second time. The * New Zealand Society of Account- ■ ants Amendment Bill was put through , Its final stages. The Reformatory In- , stitutions Bill was committed, reported i With minor amendments, and passed. The Attorney-General moved the sec-

ond rtading of the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill recently passed by the • House. | The Hons. Paul and Jenkinson ge;.er«Uy approved the Bill, which wis read a second time, and the Counul rose at 5 p.m.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. In the House in tie afternoon the Premier laid on tie table the papers relating to the recent Imperial Defence Conference. The remainder of the afternoon w\3 taken np in discusvn; a motion by the Hon. A. T. Ngata relative to the petition of Gwymonth residents .praying that the Greymouth reserve at present in the possession of Maori owners should be sold to the lesßees. SESSION TO CLOSE ON 22nd. In the House in the evening, the Speaker announced that as the session would close on the 22nd inst. all Bilk Introduced after to-night could be carried through all stages at one sitting. Replying to Mr. Massey, the Premier noped the House wouIH get through the Work by December 23, and that the Land BQI would be taken. HOSPITALS BILL.

The debate on amendments mad-; by the Council in the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill was resumed, and it was agreed that the House accept the v amendments with the exception of certain clauses dealing with the powers Of boards and clauses 71 and 72 relating to relief to be granted at the Government sanatoria and the maintenance at hospitals of members of friendly societies on special terms. A committee was appointed to draw np reasons for disagreeing with the Council's amendments.

DEATH DUTIES BILL. The Death Duties Bill was re-com-mitted, on the motion of the Premier, for the purpose of inserting further amendments. Amendments were insertled to the following effect:—At clause 12,' exempting certain estates from cs tate duty, the following was substituted for a sub-clause : "No estate duty ■hall be payable on any estate the final balance of which <*.tes not exceed five hundred pounds, and the estate duty payable on any estate the final balance of which exceeds five hundred pounds (hall not exceed the amount by which thpt final balance exceeds five hundred pounds." Sub-clause 2of the same clause was deleted and a new clause was added vj -he effect that the value of interest.requirea by widows of deceased not exceeding £SOOO to be deducted from the final balance of the Kstate.

Mr. Massev moved to make £5030 £IO,OOO, but the amendment was defeated by 33 to iS.

A new clause, 29a, was inserted, providing that as between several successions of deceased the death duties shall be paid by each successor in proportion to the value of his interest. The Bill was reported as amended. Considerable discussion took place on the motion for the third reading. Mr. Massey considered the Bill a very complicated measure, and would provide ample food for the lawyers.

Mr. Herries said that if the provisions regarding the gift duty were strictly en' forced it would be intolerable, and would require inspectors in every house. Sir Joseph Ward, in bis reply, observed (hat the whole basis' o! the Bill was to prevent a man during his lifetime from dividing his estate with the view of escaping the death duties. The third reading was referred to on the voices, and the Bill passed.

NAVAL DEFENCE BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Naval Defence Bill, which contains two operative clauses empowering the Minister of Finance to enter into 'a contract for building a ship of war and limiting the cost to two millions. Referring to the conference on naval defence, the papers oh which had been laid on the table of the House, the Premier said the Teport of the speeches made at the conference were not included in these, as they were regarded as confidential. The papers placed on the table had been supplied by the Imperial authorities.

The Premier went largely into the cortespondence that had taken place on| the subject of naval defence, and the attitude he had taken up respecting New Zealand's desire to retain her relations ■with the Imperial navy. 'Mr. Massey said that had it been 6nown 1!i"' the vessel was to form part of tiic ' i i -quadron there would nave bee- i thusiasm about the offer. He belie >-d it would have been far better for the dominion to have cooperated with Australia, and he gathered from the papers laid on the table that this was the view of the Admiralty.