PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2672, 30 November 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HOURS OF SITTINGS

ri’xcit Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Nov. 29. In the- House this afternoon the- Promier g*ivG' notdc& to move thcit oil nnci after Saturday, December 4th, the liouso sit on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mr. Thomson , (Dunedin) asked tlio Premier if lie could make arrangements, as soon as _ possible, for the House .meeting during three days a week at 10 a.m. till 10 p.m., two days of the week to be set apart for committee work, and the suggestion to be made to apply t<> the remainder of tilm session with the view of facilitating public business. ‘ . A short discussion ensued, in which varied opinions as to the advantages or otherwise of the adoption cf- the suggestion were expressed, Mr. Aden holding that members required - the morning for going through Bills when their heads were clear. 'Pile Premier said that lie approved of reasonable hours, , though any proposal to change the hours of sitting would meet with opposition. He coinplained that members on the Opposition side had adopted obstructive tactics and wasted tiino discussing Bills not beforo the House. If tlie_ suggestion of Mr. Thomson was 'carried out, it would he possible for the work of the session to Ire further obstructed by futile discussion. He was willing to have a meeting in the forenoon three days a week without fixing an hour for rising. He objected to the exhaustion process, but members themselves were to blame, and Hot the Government. THE CHRISTCHURCH MURDERCASE. Replying to Mr. Lnurenson as to why Roberts, the Christchurch murderer, had been reprieved, the. Premier said that the Government were unanimous in making the recommendation after considering the judge’s report, the medical evidence, and the recommendation of the jury before the petition was before it. The jury considered that while Roberts was not insane, he was a degenerate, and not morally responsible, having an inherited defective mentality, and having further debased himself by ■ intemperate habits. Mr. Wilford urged that this wavS another instance of the necessity for a new definition of insanity, and suggested that the Premier should co-operate with the Attorney-General in framing a new definition of insanity to meet such cases. THE DEATH DUTIES BILL: The Premier moved the second reading of the Death Duties Bill, which, lie said, combined the two principles of estate duty and ' legacy duty. Death duties he recognised to. be the fairest and most equitable of taxes, being imposed on people who did not earn wealth. The Bill provided for a graduated scale of duties, framed with the object of the distribution of wealth before, rather than after, death. _ Many estates had escaped duties by gifts during life, but the Bill prevented tins. It was generally recognised that increased death duties were necessary, just, and equitable. . Mr Alien admitted the justice of the Bill, but criticised several features, including; the distinction drawn between a Maori husband and wife. He thought that the exemption from legacy duty miglit be raised from £SOO to £IOOO. In regard to death duties the position of a widow might be that her estate might pay duty when passing to her and -agsjln at' licr death, which might .happen shortly after. Several othei objections were raised by Mr.'Allen. . Mr. AVilford said it was impossible to frame taxation on gifts that could not bo evaded. Marriage settlements made by deed had to pay duty, but evasion could be made by cash payMr. Baurne expressed satisfaction with the Bill, and said it had taken a course lie. had long urged upon the Government. He would like to see the Premier take into consideration the increasing of the .graduation, from* the point at which it stopped, which was his chief objection to the Bill. Mr. Ilerdman did not object to the principle of the Bill, but lie did object to the increased taxation which had been rendered necessary by the gt;op extravagance of the Government ■within the past few years. . Air. Laurenson said that the increased taxation was largely due to increased prosperity entailing expenditure m the direction of developing public scrvices Aid*. Herries said that the Bill wouldhave the hearty support of the House. The details of the Bill, however, required attention to ensure justice. The Premier, in the course of his reply, said there was not sufficient inducement in the Bill to make it worth while for people having removable pro-pca-ty to leave the Dominion in order to escape taxation. He could not ~‘acrree with Air. Allen's suggestion that the exemption on legacies should be raised from £SOO to ‘ £IOOO, nor tha a husband should bo placed on the same level as a wife in the case of death duties, nor to'the suggestion that marriage settlement exemption should extend to gifts from a father to a daughter as wedding gifts. " The second reading was agreed to. SHIPPING AND SEAAIEN’S BILL. At the evening sitting the Hon. J. A. Millar moved the second reading ot the Shim on g -and Seamen s Act Amendment Bill, which, he explained, embodies most of ' the recommendations adopted at the Imperial Alantime Com. fere noe. • Air Herries hoped that the provisions of the Bill would be made to apply to steamers and launches run on the lakes by the Tourist and Railway Departments. , , , ~ n Air. Wilford congratulated the Government upon 'the—revision which grants power to the Governor to appoint inspectors to inspect wool, nax, tow, and skins before shipment. _ Mr. Poole was gratified to know- that many disabilities under whioli seafaring men labor;, would be. removed by the Bill. • . ~ , , Mr. Fisher, referring .to the loss oi the Duco, said : “I.hoped that ‘the-Min-ister would see that provision was inserted in the Bill to prevent cargo bein shipped after inspection, thereby endangering the life of the crew.’’ .v.i Messrs- Glover and.. Luke oonsideied the .Bill an excellent measure. , _ Replying to Air. McLaren, the Minister said he did not,intend submitting the Bill to any : select committee, as he had .sent copies to the owners’ and seamen’s unions, who had expressed -favorable. opinions thereon. He would accept reasonable amendments in committee. ‘ " The Bill was read-.a second tune. , • (Left Sitting.),