EVENING SITTING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1869, 16 June 1888, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

Tho House resumed at 7.30 p.ro, CUSTOM DOTI«S BILL IN COMMUTES. The Oastoms Duties Bill was farther con side rod In Committee. Clause 4, primage duty of 1 pet cent on all goods, wares and marchandlae imported Into the Colony. The wojxU ''fair market value thereof" wore struck out and " true and real value thereof ' inserted. The remainder of the clauses were paßaed without alteration. A new olauae was added, providing that every pack of playing cards made m the colony shall be stamped aa the Commissioner may diteofc, and any person who aella, uses, or h»s poaaeaaion of any paoka of ords so made and not Btamped, Bhall be liable to & penalty not exceeding £50 ; bat auoh penalty shall not be imposed for cards leaned prior to the paeslog of this Act. Another new clause was added to the effeot that whenever It ehall be prored to the satisfaction of tne Collectors that ddty paid materials have been used m the construction of machinery of any kind exempted from Cuatoma datiea, it shall be 'awful for the Collector to grant to the maker of such maobinery a refand of duty other than the primage duty piid on raa'erlals so need. A farther new clause wag proposed providing that m tho oaße of any Collector being saliefied that any grain mill, or mill for the manufacture of textile fabrics, was m ooarae of erection prior to May 30 last, then on the arrival of maohinery for each mill In the colony, It shall be lawful for the Government to order that it be admitted free of duty, except primage duly. A n9w clause wan proposed exempting maohinery for grain mills or textile fabric mills, intended for mills m course of erection prior to M*y 30th, from the operations of the new tariff. Same members wanted to postpone the olanao until after the schedule had been dteposed of, bat this was not allowed. Mr Braoe wished to exempt sawmills, but the Treasurer objsoted. Chher exempti ns of a similar character were suggested without avail, and the clause was passed wljh the provision that bocK machinery be landed la tha colony within six raontha. The schedule containing the items of the new tariff was then taken into con* atderation. Acetic a?ld was altered from 3d to lid per Ib. * 2 Effervescing beverages were »dded to tba item, "« rated waters, 20 per cent." Item— Apparel ana "ready ~araae~oToSE-~ las, etc , 25 per cent Mr Tanner moved to reduca the duty to the old rata, 15 per cent, Mr Soddon moved to strike out ''cotton and linen " goods from the item. Mr Reeves (St Albanß) asked the Premier to raise the duty on alike. Mr Bjetham and Sir John Hall strongly supported the suggestion. The Premier would not objeot, but was afraid that if they raised the duty too high he would not get any revenuo. He thought it would be better to leave this alone and raise the- duty on piece silk, Mr Smith spoke atrenu'oqsly against imposing Buph a burden on the poorer olasaea as this 25 per cent duty would ii fjict. The Premier said he oould not agree to the redaction proposed by Mr Tannor as ifc would upset the whole of the tariff. He would oonalder the propriety of raising the duty on piece silk-. Mr Seddon*3 amondment was lost by 48 to 30, and Mr Tanner's by 44 to 31. Pern passed untouched. Dried Rpplos-ld per lb.— Struck out. Blankets— 2o per cent. The Premier was pressed to make it 25 per cent to prevent the dishonesty of tradera who palmed eff indifferent Imported goods as colonial, but he declined on the ground that to separate blankets from other soft-goods would oauae too much confuaioa. Boots, shoes, etc— 2o per oant. D/r Hodgkibson moved to reduoe the duty to l§ per gent. ' Lost by 43 to 2j[> Candled pepl, ad per lb, was withdrawn for fnrfher consideration. Carriages, etc. — 20 percent. After aome discussion the item was held over. • . ■ Ohaffouttera, corn otuahors, and shelters — 20 per oent. Mr Anderson moved to reduce this JO percent. . Lost by 44 to 31. Cotton, linen and silk piece goods— 2o par oenj;, The Premier said ho would reconsider this. Cotton, linen, allk and other textile manufactures not otherwise enumerated— ■ 80 per oent. Struck out. Drapery, made up. The Premier said this would have to be reoinaiderod, alao drapery not otherwise enumerated— 2o por oent. Earthenware, stoneware, and brownware—2o per cent. Mr Barron moved to strike It out. Lost by 46 to 19. Ostrich feathers and firearms wore reserved for consideration. Fire engines and hose— 2o per cent, Tho Premier said he prop'daed to atrike this out, and pat all fire engines on the free Hat. The frtiit Items were reserved for further consideration. Furniture and cabinetwtre— l6 percent. The Premier moved to Insert! the words ♦•not otherwise enumerated and other" than now " l > r Carried. Fura, 20 per cent, was reserved. Progress was reported, and the House rode at 12 4Q a.m. "