PARLIAMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9671, 9 December 1909, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

By Telegraph —Pres3 Association. WELLINGTON, December 8. In the Legislative Council, this afternoon, the Hon. W. C. F. Camcross 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 be compelled to have in connection with such scheme a system of surrender value for the benefit of contributors." He pointed out the unsatisfactory state of affairs in this connection at present, and contended that the time has come when the Legislature should take steps to secure to all contributors some share of their contributions upon retirement. Dr. Findlay thought that if the State interfered with the 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. Ihere was another reason why the State should not interfere. It was the duty of the Government to provide a superannuation fund for every honest man in the country, and to see that every man should have an opportunity for providing for his old age. This was going to be the law of this country sooner or later. The motion was agreed to. The Magistrate's Court ment Bill was passed. f~j£

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

2 In the House this afternoon, the Premier laid on the table the papers to the recent Imperial Defence Conference. The remainder of the afternoon was taken up in discussing a motion by the Hon. A. Ngata (Eastern Maori) relating to the petition of Greymouth residents praying that the Greymuuth reserve at present in possession of Maori owners, should be sold to the lessees. X In the House in the evening the Speaker announced that as the session would close on the 22nd inst., all Bills introduced after to-night could be carried through all stages at one sitting. Replying to Mr Massey, the Premier hoped the House would get through the work by December 22nd, and that the Land Bill would be taken. The debate on (he amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill was resumed, and it was agreed that*the House accept the amendments with the exception of certain clauses dealing with the powers of boards and clauses 71 and 72 relating to the relief to be granted at Government sanatoria, and the maintenance at hospitals of members and friendly societies on special terms. A committee was appointed to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the Council's amendments. Ths Death Duties Bill was recoin-

mitted on the motion of the Premier for the purpose of making further amendments. Amendments were inserted to the following effect: —At clause 12, exempting certain estates from estate duty, the following was substituted for sub-clause 1, "no estate duty shall be payable on any estate, the final balance of which does not exceed five hundred pounds, and the the ettate duty payable on any estate, the final balance of which exceeds five hundred pounds, shall not exceed the amount by which that final balance exceeds five hundred pounds." Sub-clause 2of the same clause was deleted, and a new clause added to the effect that the value of an interest acquired by a widow of a deceased person not exceeding £5,000 to he deducted from the final balance of the estate. Mr Massey moved to make £5,000, £IO,OOO, but the amendment was defeated by 33 to 25.