A.—i

26

(3.) Important amendments are made with respect to the right to vote of seamen who have not a settled residence in any electoral district, Seamen who have a settled residence in a district are necessarily electors of that district, but other seamen vote as follows : — (i.) If they are engaged under articles, for the district comprising the port where they signed those articles, (ii.) If they are not engaged at the time of the election, then for the district comprising the port of discharge. - (iii.) In certain cases, where any port referred to above is comprised in more electoral districts than one, the seamen may choose to vote for any one of those districts. (4.) Section 18 allows a person whose name has been struck ofi the electoral roll in error to vote at any election on making the required declaration before the Deputy Returning Officer. (5.) Section 25 applies the provisions relating to the enrolment of European electors to the enrolment of Maoris under Part IV of the principal Act. The operation of this section is postponed until after the completion of the next general election. 1914, No. 34. The National Provident Fund Amendment Act, 1914. —The main object of this Act is to provide a workable scheme for the superannuation of the employees of local authorities, as an alternative to the scheme provided for under the Local Authorities' Superannuation Act, 1908. It empowers a local authority to become a contributor to the National Provident Fund on behalf of any or all of its employees, and either with or without their consent. In any such case the National Provident Fund is enabled to waive certain conditions and restrictions applicable to the case of ordinary contributors—for example, provisions as to ages of contributors, rates of contributions, maximum rate of allowances payable, &c. In fact, the Board is authorized to consider on its merits any scheme submitted by an applicant local authority, and to make such terms as it thinks fit as to rates of contribution and as to allowances and other benefits. It is bound, however, so far as practicable, to preserve the same proportion between rates of contribution and value of benefits as exists between the several rates of contribution and the benefits receivable under the principal Act. The Board is obliged, before committing itself to any proposed schemes, to obtain and have regard to actuarial computations as to the sufficiency of the proposed contributions taken in conjunction with the State subsidy to provide the benefits proposed to be conferred. As between the local authority and its employees the position is briefly as follows :— (a.) The local authority may agree with the Board to contribute to the fund, either with or without the consent of its employees. (&.) Having become a contributor, it may deduct from the wages or salary of every employee for whom it contributes a proportion of the contribution due to the fund on. behalf of that employee. This proportion may vary in different cases, but must not exceed two-thirds of the total contribution, (c.) The balance of the contribution is payable out of the funds of the local authorit}-. (d.) If the employee retires from the service of the local authority before becoming entitled to a retiring-allowance— (i.) He may withdraw from the fund his proportion of contributions, less benefits actually received by him; or (ii.) He may elect to continue as a personal contributor to the fund. If he withdraws his contribution from the fund the local authority may also withdraw its share of contribution; if not, the local authority must leave its contribution with the fund for at least eighteen months. If within that time the employee has not entered the service of the same or another contributing local authority the moneys may be withdrawn, but if he has entered such service the moneys remain in the fund. In lieu of exercising its right to withdraw moneys from the fund, the local authority may elect to have them applied on behalf of any other employee or employees. Corresponding provisions are made enabling private employers, friendly societies, and others to contribute in respect of their members, and enabling industrial unions and tradeunions to require their members to become contributors. Sections 19 to 28 make various' general amendments of the principal Act. 1914, No. 35. The National Provident Fund Amendment Act, 1914 (No. 2). —This Act makes special provisions with respect to contributors to the National Provident Fund who are members of any of the Expeditionary Forces from New Zealand. It provides— (a.) That absence from TSlew Zealand shall not disqualify such a member from receiving benefits from the fund; (6.) That during absence as a member of an Expeditionary Force the rate of contributions payable by him shall be reduced by one-half. The Act also authorizes the reduction of contributions by contributors' who are engaged during the continuance of the war on military duty in New Zealand. 1914, No. 36. The Workers' Dwellings Amendment Act, 1914.—This Act, in addition to various administrative amendments, provides as follows: — (a.) For the regulation of the area of land attached to a worker's dwelling by reference to its unimproved value (instead of prescribing any defined area). The maximum unimproved value is fixed at £250. (b.) The possible capital value of a worker's dwelling is increased from £600 to £750. (c.) In the case of concrete and brick buildings', the period that may be allowed for the payment of purchase-money is increased from 25i years to years.