TAXING & FINANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1939, Page 6

TAXING & FINANCE

BILLS BEFORE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PHARMACY MEASURE ALSO INTRODUCED. BUDGET DEBATE RESUMED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The House of Representatives met at 10.30 a.m.. when three Bills were introduced by Governor-General’s Message—the Finance Bill, the Annual Taxing Bill and the Pharmacy Bill. The first two measures were read a first time and the Pharmacy Bill was read a first time and also a second time pro forma and referred to the Industries and Commerce Committee and also to the Health Committee.

Explaining the provisions of the Finance Bill, the Acting-Minister of Finance (Mr Fraser) stated that the Bill provided generally for some of the Budget proposals. It provided for additional borrowing authorities for public works, the Main Highways Fund, etc, and dealt with income tax provisions, reducing the personal exemption for tax from £2lO to £2OO. It gave effect to the Budget proposals relating to death duties and insurance monies.

With regard to the Annual Taxing Bill, Mr Fraser said this was merely the usual land and income tax measure and contained no new provisions.. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Sullivan), explaining the Pharmacy Bill, said it merely made legislative provision for a plan, which had been submitted to - chemists and approved by them, to make better provision for the registration and control of pharmaceutical chemists and to provide for the registration or licensing of wholesale druggists and manufacturing chemists. Urgency was accorded the Financial Debate on the same lines as hitherto this week, namely in order to allow the members speaking at 5.30 p.m. to conclude his speech. The Financial Debate was continued by the Hon J. G. Cobbe, who said Government members had criticised past administrations for borrowing, but if money had not been borrowed the country would not be such a safe place today for the people who talked about “usurers,” “death adders” and “financial gangsters.” Mr 11. E. Combs discussed the agitation regarding Public Service efficiency tests, which he defended on the ground that, the Public Service Commissioner could not say who should be advanced without the information secured from those tests. Departmental heads, however, should have authority to promote.

The House adjourned at 12.55 p.m until 2.30 p.m.