658
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 16

(b.) It shall be the duty of all officers of the aforesaid Departments and offices, and of any bank, insurance company, or other corporation carrying on business in New Zealand, and of all officers of the Post Office Savings-bank, and of any other Government Department which receives investments of money from the public, and of any private individual, to make true answers to all questions, and to afford (without fee) all such information as may be reasonably required for the purpose of prosecuting such inquiry as aforesaid.

(c.) The powers of inquiry and search hereby given shall be limited to specified applications, and shall not be construed as authorizing any general search or inquiry.

(d.) The Commissioner may, in his discretion, accept as testimony for or against the application—
(i.) A declaration made by any reputable person who therein declares to what he knows of his own knowledge to be true; or
(ii.) Any other documentary evidence, whether strictly legal evidence or not; or
(iii.) The spoken evidence of a reputable person who deposes to what he knows to be true:
(iv.) The knowledge or observation of the Commissioner himself.

9. The valuations for the time being appearing in a district valuation roll under the Valuation of Land Act, 1925, shall, so far as the same are applicable, be used for the purpose of assessing the value of any property of an applicant for an allowance, if the value of such property is relevant to the determination of the claim.

10. In the calculation of the income of any family, the average weekly income shall be deemed to include, at the discretion of the Commissioner—
    (a.) The actual weekly earnings or other regular weekly receipts as at the date of application; or
    (b.) The weekly equivalent of any other periodical payments which the family may be entitled to receive during the ensuing allowance year, although no part thereof may have been actually received; or
    (c.) The one-fifty-second part of all other receipts (except such as are hereinafter exempted) during the last preceding income year; or
    (d.) Such proportion as the Commissioner deems reasonable, having regard to all the circumstances, of the average weekly amount of any capital moneys expended for other than capital purposes. In the exercise of his discretion under this paragraph, the Commissioner shall not include any capital moneys in the computation of income, if the average weekly expenditure (including the expenditure of any allowance received under the said Act) does not exceed £5 10s. a week with an additional 10s. a week for each child in excess of three.

11. The term “income” shall not be deemed to include—
    (a.) Any allowance payable under the said Act:
    (b.) Any payment by way of sick or funeral benefit from any registered friendly society:
    (c.) Any money received on the sale or exchange of land or other property:
    (d.) Any money received under an insurance policy on the destruction or damage by fire or otherwise of a building or other property:
    (e.) Any principal or capital sum received on the intestacy or under the will of any member of the family:
    (f.) Any moneys raised by public subscription for the benefit of any member of the family:
    (g.) Any money received by way of compensation or damages in respect of the death of any member of the family:
    (h.) Personal earnings which have ceased owing to loss of employment or other cause.

12. The decision of the Commissioner shall be notified direct to the applicant and to the Registrar. The Commissioner shall cause to be entered on his Claim Register particulars of every authorized allowance, and such particulars shall be transcribed upon a district card, on which shall be recorded from time to time any circumstances that may affect or have relation to the payment of the allowance.

13. Every allowance authorized by the Commissioner shall be for the period of one year, and shall commence on the first day of the month in which the application was lodged. In respect of every allowance authorized as aforesaid there shall be issued to the person entitled to receive the same an identity certificate which shall set out on the face thereof particulars of the grant and the place of payment.