A BUSY DAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1938, Page 6

A BUSY DAY

MAIN ESTIMATES PASSED BY HOUSE FIVE BILLS INTRODUCED. INCLUDING ANNUAL TAXING MEASURE. (By Telegranh—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. With the completion by the House of Representatives yesterday of six more classes of estimates, all votes on the main estimates of departmental expenditure have been passed. The items approved amounted in the aggregate to £1,446,702. Consideration of the estimates has extended over seven sittings, and the total sum appropriated amounts to £36,067,109. The classes passed yesterday, for which urgency was taken at the commencement of the sitting, were as follows: Maintenance of Public Works and Services, £668,972; Lands and Survey Department, £312,913; Lands for Settlement Account, £345,000; Native Trustees Account, £14,700; Dairy Industry Account, £51,794; Internal Marketing Account, £53,323. Five Bills were introduced by Gov-ernor-General’s Message before the House proceeded to deal with the estimates. A Native Purposes Bill authorises the inauguration of schemes for the housing of the Maori people, and a Stallions Bill provides for the licensing of stallions of heavy breeds. The Slaughter of Stock and Inspection of Meat Bill was brought down in exactly the same form as the Bill of the same name introduced last session and not proceeded with. This measure deals with municipal abattoirs, the licensing of meat export and slaughterhouses, the slaughter of stock, export of meat, and the inspection of meat intended for human consumption.

The Land and Income Tax (Annual) Bill fixes the rates of land and income tax for the year commencing on April 1, 1938. These rates are the same as last year’s rates. A measure of particular interest to Wellington was the Carter Observatory Bill, which authorises the establishment at Kelburn of aYT astronomical observatory, and the application of certain moneys bequeathed for that purpose by the late Mr C. R. Carter. A board is to be appointed to control and administer the funds of the observatory. The House completed the last of the classes' at 10.31 p.m., and then adjourned. Today consideration is being given to the Social Security Bill in committee.