THE DEBATE ON THE CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1861, 7 June 1888, Page 2

THE DEBATE ON THE CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL.

(From our own Co-respondent.) Wellington, Jane 6 Perhaps the most important debate wbtoh has ever been hoard m the Houae, ao far aa its ultimate issue is concvrriocl, wua c immenced to-day iv & most off hind manner. Tiie Premier, m a speech c xtetidlng over Dearly one minute's daratioD, Bimply asked the House to be liberal and patrlotlo m the matter, apd promised to aco >pt any saggcatloDa which might appear to be desirable apart from party views. Mr 0-jwan followed at dreary length, m a disquisition on the subject of Education and olher Interesting points, but did not receive that attention from the Honho which might have been expected on such au ocoislon. Me flobfra followed m a meek and mtld sort of manner. Mr Smith made a bitter attack on the Premier and his policy, crltJolsit'g the financial proposals of the Government m genera l , and the tariff In part'ou'ar. He ocnoladed by moving—" That the Bl 1 Le read » second time that d»y bix mouths," and thus virtually plaoed himaelf m the position of leading the attaok against the Government. Mr Maoarthur, who has always boon regarded as a sfannch friend of the Government, and petaonally of the Premier, also strongly opposed the tariff, and charged hia l>te leader with failing to carry out his promise to certain of his supporters aB regards the character of hia tariff, that it Bhould. satisfy both Protectionists and Freetraders Mr Macarthur made a strong Freetrada speech, and expressed his determination tc oppose the tariff tooth and nail. He also condemned dealing with certain pnbllj works, although a loan for the purpose had been authorised, and stated though he recognised the Importance of railway works m his own district;, he would vote against more expenditure there, though It oost him his seat, if his doing so would save expenditure. Dr Newman, ano' her Freetrader, who is as voluble as a runnicg stream, delivered an impetatus tirade agil st Protection, and taunted the Governor n, w th h ying baen plaoed m office to stop tho giving of grants of land to syndicates, to taper < S borrowing, and lesst-n the burdens oi taxatloD, and yet they h.we gnnted Urge tracts of additional la-sd to the Midland Railway Oorapiny, had borrowed £2,400,000, and bai br ught ia a Pro too tive tariff to inoreaee the bardeou of the people, The Premier retorted that the little dootor either did not grasp the subjects, or was misrepresenting thorn ; but this did not prevent him from continuing hir expostulations. Then oime Mr Ment.eath, another Freetrader, who made a clever speech of its kiad, if illogical. He likened ihe Framler to Sit Robert Pie , and prophesied for him a fate similar to the grest Br.tah statesman. He criticised the action of the Premier as compared with his promhte and sta'emen-a ab,ut tho late Colonial Troaaurar, and twitted him with having endeavored to impose taxation on the working man, o mtrary to bis dlstlnol pledge, He satirically oougralu'a'ed the : Opposition on having gained the Premlei totally, aud oonoluded by tragically predicting that he would only betray them again. Mr Taylor, who was speaking at the dinner adjournment, was not m au:h good form as I have eeen him, though he soared one or two points, and left of without exaotly giving the Houae tc understand whkt he intended to do it the matter. The impression generally conveyed, however, was agaiust the Government The genial Vincent Pyka who Ii nothing if not original, declared himself tc be a Free raier, but waa repared to accept the tariff proposals of the Government which he did not consider to be Proteo tive. He thought, however, that a gooc deal leas expenditure was neoesiary, eßpaclalty m ihe matter of Edooation while local bodiea' subaidiea should cease He made BOrne very funny alluaiona t( Items of the tariff, and informed mambere that if they raised the daty ou aaaff he would not be so liberal to ihem with tha luxury as he had been iv the pa«t, H< also inveighed strongly against the olas; of whUuy sold at country puba. On th< aaaurauoa of the Premier that the items o; the tariff would be taken separately, h< prom(Bad to support them. Mr Hntohinßon in f ormed the Goverr ment that, though the Opposition was aup porting them, it was pnly on acoonnt o; the tariff, and he then proceeded to dreat dowu the Government pretty severely foi their laxity m providing for the defencei of the Oolony. He referred to tho fp.cl that the united Welling'on vote, of which they had heard bo much, wes a thing ol tho past, and characterised them as gentlemen who had aat on the rail and fallen off on the wrong side, Thla brought tc hia feet. The Minister of DefanoG, Mr Fergus, who, ponderous as ever, uphold hie reputation for possessing the most stentorian voice m the House, aud laid about him m great stylo. He knocked Mi Hatohieon rather hard about bis manyafdedness, and then turned to Me Menteath, whom he «!so drubbed diwn nomewhat roqghly In my humble opinion. Aa a dgfonoo of the Government, howßvoß, tho speech was of no merit, though ple&a^nt to listen to. Far more effeotlve, from their point of view, was tho speech of Mr W. P, Raevea, who delivered what, m moat quarters, ia considered to be the speech of the Boaalon. Ha wa* clear, logical, humoroua, and naroaßtio, and had the Houee with him throughout ; his defence of the policy of the Government, and the roaaons for hia support, being greatly appreciated. The impression left on tho mind after the Bp eoa of tha hon member waa that tht;re w»a a desire on tho part of the Opposition to atand by ihe Government throughout. Major Steward followed, and while sapporting the Goveraiueot to Borne extent, aaid he ehou'd have liked to see a graduated Property tax, or an Income tax; whilst m other waya he would have liked to see amendments. Mr Grlmmond vory shortly oxpre3aed himaolf m opposition to the tariff m a forcible manner. It sppoared as if the whole thing was over. The Speaker had actually put the motion for the second reading, and given it for tho Ayes on the v.iiceß, when tho Premier rose to reply ; but as Mr Buchanan wluhe'd to speak he gave wuy. The member for Maaterton then gave a rather prosy exposition of hia viewa on the eubjeot of Freotradb, whloh. however, did not appear to elialt any enthusiasm ; and when be had oonoluded Mr Allen tobo and moved the adjournment of the dubate. Tho Freetraders opposed thla, but a division waa taken, with tho result that the adjournment was agreed to by 62 to 18, and Ihe graat debate was adjourned till 2 30 to-morrow.