PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1917, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES By '!'• legraph—Press Association, Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 2.30. ... ; AX UNDESIRABLE. "STEW ■Replying to Mr. Wright, Mr. Massey . .paid that Jim Earkin, the Dublin strike ! leader, who was on his way to the Do* minion, would not he allowed to land in New Zealand. \ ' LOAN AFFAIRS, * ■Replying to Mr. MeC'allum. Sir Joseph Ward said the war loan had been oversubscribed, and as it had been left open lie expected in a fen- days it would amount, to over £lli,(!Oft,om), and then those who, for technical reasons, had not been able to contribute, such as trustees, would be able to subscribe. The compulsory clauses of the Finance Act were not in force, a3 they were not yet the law of the land. He hoped they would not require to be put into operation, but lie intended to look into the matter,' and would he able to make a statement in the course of a few days. AN IMPERIAL 'MATTER. Replying to Mr. E. 'Newman, Mr. Massey said, that when in England he and Sir Joseph Ward made representations to the Imperial authorities concerning the importance of Ocean and Xgarue Islands as a source for procuring fertilisers for the land. They would not bo disposed of without considering the Dominions. \ CAMP HOSPITALS REPORT. Sir James Allen laid on the-, tabic the report of the military hospitals at . camp, showing there were no serious cases in the hospitals, and that the health of the troops generally was excellent. BILLS TN COMMITTEE. The Houipe went into committee on the River Board Amendment Bill, in charge of Hon. G. W. Russell. After a lengthy discussion on the scope Of the Bill it passed the committee, stage, the ■Minister accepting amendments providing that no wor kexceeding in cost £25,000 should be authorised unless the ratepayers by a poll approve the same, and also granting power to local bodies interested to elect two lay members of the commission. The Revocation of Naturalisation Bill was next taken in committee. Mr. McCallum urged that the Bill should only apply to naturalised subjects belonging to countries now at war with the British Empire. The Bill as it stood was an insult to the French nation. Hon. 6. W, Russell said that if the Government were not to he trusted to justly administer the Act, then they were not fit to control affairs in time of mar. Hon. A. L. Hordman and Sir John Findlay contended that the Bill could not give offence to France, as similar power was taken in the Imperial statute, and if such a measure passed in England without giving oifence it should do so in New Zealand. The Bill passed unamended. The Bills were then read a third time and passed. The House adjourned at 5.30. THE FINANCE BILL. The House resumed at 7.30. Several amendments to the Finance Bill were introduced by Governor's message. Sir Joseph Ward said he had a report made on the proposal to put a penny stamp on e<ach packet oE cigarettes, and found it impracticable. He. however, was asking the House to agree to certain increases in duty on cigarettes, which would give the country the benefit of an additional £BO.OOO revenue. Resolutions imposing the new duties were agreed to, and the House went into committee on the Bill. Sir J. Ward explained the amendments introduced which referred to life insurance companies, making taxation more equitable on lines suggested by Sir John Findlay during the debates. A proposal was also made to pay thp gold duty to local bodies interested prior to the export of the gold, so as to assist their finance. An amendment was also introduced to facilitate contributors to the war loan obtaining advances from banks. Mr. Sidey risked whether the Minister would not, in vienvof the success of the war loan, strike out the retrospective compulsory clauses, as it was irfijust to punish a man for not doing what he was not legally bound ,to do. Sir Joseph Ward said thore ( was a moral obligation on him to subscribe. Dr. Newman made an appeal to the Minister to differentiate "between earned and unearned incomes in favor of the forme?. Mv. Buddo put in a plea for small shareholders of companies. Mr. Wilford asked how hanks stood! with regard to gold reserve, as there was a rumor that' it was goiiig to be abolished. Sir Joseph Ward, replying to the discussion, said there would he no unfair use of the compulsory clauses of the 13ili. The loan had been so generously subscribed to that unless absolute shirkers were discovered they would , not he brought into force. (Discussing differentiation between earned and unearned incomes, he declared he could not let go any revenue.' Therefore ho could not decrease the tax on earned incomes, but would have to increase it on unearned incomes, which would afford no satisfaction to the people for whom Dr. Newman was appealing. Any system imposing taxation on companies would necessarily bo full of anomalies, and while v war taxation was being imposed in the l Dominion it was impossible to get rid of anomalies. Regarding the gold reserve in the banks, there was no suggestion to abolish it, and he could not understand how such rumors got about. He had been told to-day that the United States had contributed ->} millions to the loan. As a matter of fact there was no outside money in the loan at all. On v the subject of taxation'"of banks, he ex- . plained the method by which taxation' was collected. Ho expressed the opinion ' that some day banhs would have to pay on income instead of under the present syttoni. On the sirhject of taxation of ; mortgages, 'lie said ho was prepared to pro-pose an amendment extending oxomptionby £1 on every £2 over £3OOO, , so that it would disappear at £6OOO in- , stead of £SOOO. Further he was not i prepared to go, as otherwise he would not he able to hold the revenue. No member had been able to make any suggestion by which the revenue could be protected if mortgages were exempted. Mr. Veitch supported and Mr. Pearce , spoke against the Minister's mortgage ,

The discussion on clause 1 was continued till 10.52, when it was passed Clauses 2 to 23 were' passed without amendment. A minor amendment was made, on the motion of the Minister, in clause 24. At clause 25 'the proviso was struck out, on the motion of the Minister.. At' clause 34 the Minister moved a new proviso providing that if the shareholders' returns from a company exceed six per cent, no exemptjaa will be allowed. This was agrecdUo. At clause 37 (compulsory subscription to war purposes loan)-. Messrs McCombs, and Anstey asked that it be reconsidered as it did not -get at. the real ihirker. Sir.Jjisepli:Wnrd said the provision had; been before the country for some time and he had not received a sin;;le J tfi^rirrte^t.' "jjf ?|£vinst ; t ..if.'.' lie. had been meeting tho leading men in IJomimßu-'lilia'Tice. since the Bi.il whb introduced, 11 i'.utl n'ot'one had'raised the slightest objection to it. If eases of hardship arose out of the operation of the el&ij-e there was a board to adjudicate on them. After a further brief discussion, a series of machinery amendment's were moved by the Minister and agreed to, and the clause passed. The House rose at 11.40 p.m. '•'[;^