WAR DAMAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 March 1943, Page 3

WAR DAMAGE

RAISING OF PREMIUM. CRITICISED BY LABOUR M.P. ! (By Telegraph—Press Association.) i WELLINGTON, This Day. Criticism of the Government’s action in raising the premium for war damage from 2s to 5s under regulations issued supplementary to the passing of the legislation was made by Mr Schramm (Government, Auckland East) in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives last night. When the Bill was brought before the House in October, 1941, 1 members were informed by the then Minister of. Finance that the premium would be 2s in the £lOO, and the Bill was passed on that understanding. Six oi’ seven weeks later regulations which did not come before the House were issued fixing the premium at ss. “Had the House been told that the premium was to be 5s the Bill would not have been passed,” said Mr Schramm. The Prime Minister: “If the Government had said the Bill was to go through it would have gone through.” Mr Schramm: “That is a strong statement to make. It is no use saying it would have gone through irrespective of members’ opinion. The Prime Minister originally said the premium would be Is 6d.” ■ The Prime Minister: “I don’t remember that, but I do remember the 25.” The country looked on the premium as extra taxation, continued Mr Schramm, adding that regulations could be a source of great injustice, and he asked that in future they should be brought before the House of Representatives Replying to the debate, Mr Boswell (Government, Bay of Islands), referred to Mr Schramm’s criticism in connection with the premium toy war damage risk. “The War Damage’Bill, said Mr Boswell, was brought down on October 7, 1941, and Japan entered the war on December 7■ of that year. Very properly, the Government; as a wise Government, acted in January and brought clown the regulations.”' Mr Schramm: “They were brought down in December.” Mr Boswell said that premium was related to the damage, and the war risk increased out of sight when Japan came into the war.