PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 169, 26 October 1910, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In-the Legislative Council this afternoon the Education Bill was read a second time, and referred to a Select Committee. The Animals Protection Bill and River Boards Bill were read a third time and passed. The Stone Quarries Bill was committed and progress reported at clause 3, and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Sir Joseph Ward gave notice of motion that on and after Monday next the House meet on Mondays at 2.30 p.m. for the transaction of Government business only. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill was read a second time pro forma. • The amendments of the Legisaltive Council in the Deelnce Amendment Bill were agreed to. The House went into committee on the Commercial Trusts Bill. j Replying to Mr. Herries, Sir Joseph Ward refused to delay the coming into operation of the Bill beyond January, 11)11. One or two trusts were operating in New Zealand, and the sooner they were got out the better. He did not wish to load up the measure with limitations regarding profits. Therefore he had inserted the qualiileation "fair and reasonable." The House rose at 5.30 p.m. EVENING SITTINGS. In the House in the evening consideration of the Commercial Trusts Bill was resumed in committee.

Clause S, providing that prices be deemed unreasonably high if they produced more than reasonable profit, evoked considerable discussion, members wishing to know how it was possible to estimate unreasonable profit. Sir Joseph Ward said that in arriving at an estimate of undue profit the selling price would be taken into consideration. The public would be tho best judges of what were abnormally high prices, and would make it known when these were being charged.

Mr. Buchanan, speaking on the meatfreezing industry, did not object to the prevention of monopoly. In most cases the farmer was represented on meat companies. Mr. Massey failed to see that the Bill would attain its object of the prevention of monopolies, for many were not included in the schedule. Thero was no provision in the Bill for setting the penal clauses of the law dn motion. The Premier replied that the recovery of any sum over a certain amount must be brought by action in the Supreme Court. The Opposition was evidently opposed to anti-trust legislation. The Bill was reported unamended. The House went into committee on the Secret Commissions Bill, which passed through committee unamended. The Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill was reported from committee with a new clause by Sir Joseph Ward giving the Governor power to take possession of telegraph stations in times' of war or danger of war. This, the Prime Minister explained, was intended to apply to privately-owned cable stations.

The Land and Income Tax Bill was committed.

Mr. Massey moved to add to clause 1: "And shall come into operation on the repeal of the surtax provided for by the Customs Duties Amendment Act, 1£>09." Sir Joseph Ward said that passing the amendment would mean that taxation would be deferred for a year. He had reason to believe that the classes upon which the taxation was imposed did not object to the graduated income tax. Mr. Massey said he would alter his amendment, so as to narrow it down to the new proposals in respect of the graduated income tax. Mr. Taylor said he would move, on the third reading, that the Bill be read this day six months. After further discussion, the motion, as altered, was put and negatived bv 43 to 27. J At clause 2, an amendment by Mr. G. Pearce to exempt assessments of under £3OOO from the land tax was defeated by 47 to 23.