LAW AMENDMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21205, 30 August 1940, Page 12

LAW AMENDMENTS

DIVISION ON BILL FAIR RENTS ACT CLAUSE SECOND FINANCE MEASURE INCOME TAX ALTERATIONS WELLINGTON, Thursday Most of today’s sitting of the House of Representatives was occupied with discussion on the Statutes Amendment Bill. Subjects of live public interest were raised by the Opposition in a number of urgent questions asked at the beginning of the sitting. Replying to Mr A. E. Jull (Opposition—Waipawa) who appealed for some relaxation in the petrol restrictions, the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, said advice had been received from the United Kingdom Government that the need for restriction was greater than ever, owing to the increased munition purchases from the United States of America. The Finance Bill No. 2 was introduced, and this will be dealt with tomorrow. The development by the Government of the linen flax industry in New Zealand is authorised by the Bill, which also makes alterations in the income tax law relating to certain classes of companies. Other clauses of miscellaneous nature are included in the measure. Division Taken

Urgency was taken for the Statutes Amendment Bill, several clauses of which were criticised by the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton. Referring to the clause extending the operation of the Fair Rents Act, he said that this legislation had caused many difficulties. It was, he said, of the greatest hindrance to the building of homes. When the House went into committee the Opposition called for a division on the clause, but it was retained by 34 votes to 17. One clause of the bill provides that the Fair Rents Act shall continue in force until September 30, 1941. “We have been having annual extensions of the Fair Rents Act for 1 don’t know how long,” Mr Hamilton said. “I think a better name for it would be the Unfair Rents Act.” “I can think of no worse piece of legislation passed by this Government than the present Fair Rents Act,” said Mr S. G. Holland (Opposition—Christchurch North). The object was to destroy the incentive of the people to build or buy their own homes. Need For Extension A claim that the report of the Labour Department for the current year indicated the need for the extension of the period of operation of the Fair Rents Act was made by the Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, when replying to the debate late tonight. Mr Mason said about 6000 applications, including 1720 in Wellington alone, had been dealt with by the department’s inspectors. That showed the need for the Act. “There are some clauses that may have a little dynamite in them,” said Mr Hamilton, during the debate on the Statutes Amendment Bill. The bill contains 59 clauses. The provision relating to the opening and closing of shops, Mr Hamilton said, might be less innocent than it appeared. It might be bringing about a compulsory universal halfholiday. It placed in the hands of the Arbitration Court power to pronounce the closing hours for shops in all industrial districts. Transport Appeals Another provision empowering the Minister of Transport to refer back to licensing authorities appeals from their decisions was also criticised by Mr Hamilton, who said the Minister was getting caught with his own legislation. “Why does not the Minister stand up to his own legislation and take the responsibility of making decisions?” Mr Hamilton asked. An amendment to the Workers Compensation Act to provide for compensation for accidents arising even when the worker is acting in contravention of any Act or of any orders given by his employer was described by Mr Hamilton as going a long way. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb: It is going as far as England has done. Taranaki Questionnaire Mr C. A. Wilkinson (Independent - Egmont) referred to the circulation among Taranaki farmers of a questionnaire, asking why they should continue to use their own trucks for the transport of their goods. “There is an idea in the minds of the farming community that it is the Government’s intention sooner or later to interfere with the carriage by farmers of their own goods,” Mr Wilkinson said. “I dispute the right of the transport authorities to send these questionnaires to farmers. There seems to be an idea of interfering and holding transport as a Government monopoly.” A Government Member: The Minister has denied it. “The farmer is facing the loaded gun at every turn,” said Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition Waitomo) when criticising restrictions on the use 4 of farm trucks and the Government’s transport policy in general. Mr Broadfoot complained particularly of increasing transport costs. The Farmers’ Union was fully entitled to draw the attention of the Government to inequalities and the granting of privileges at the expense of the farming community, Mr Broadfoot said. The farmer was prepared to do all he could to increase production and help the war effort, but he was meeting higher costs on all sides.