EVENING SITTING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1856, 13 June 1888, Page 3

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m THE MIDLAND BAILWAY CONTKACT. On the motion that the report of the Midland Railway Committee lie on the table, a short debnte on&uod. After dißcueaion the motion was agreed to. OOfiTOMS DUTIES JILIi Mr Levestam continued the debate on the motion to go into Committee on the Cußtoma Duties Bill Mr Ward congratulated the Ministry on th« saving they had been able to effect, though ho could not altogether agree with the tariff. He strongly deprecated any idea of raising the property tux. Nothing had done more harm than it had, and to his knowledge it had kept British capital out of the country. Mr Brace Bald the division. on the second reading showed the necessity for a complete re- construction of parties, but still Government deserved credit for their manful attempt to grapple with the finances, and any Government that succeeded them would have to carry on a similar policy. Dr FJtchett treated the position from v Protectionist standpoint, arguing that England was foe Froetrade because it was In a position to be so, and that America was fast attempting Freetrade having, after years of Protection, reached the point when oompetltion was possible. Until this oolony could oompeto we should not adopt Freetrade. Protection wao necessary la oyder to provide employment 1 for the population of towns, Mr Beetham concluded by moving as an amendment that the committal of the BUI should be delayed to give Government an opportunity of ascertaining whethe? t^o necessity for additional taxation oonld not be partially obviated by further retrenchment. Mr Rhode* moved the adjournment of the debate till 2.3,0 p.m, to-morrow. The Hoqse rose at 12.Q5 p.m