THE GRADUATED LAND TAX.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1562, 4 October 1912, Page 6

THE GRADUATED LAND TAX.

INTERESTING DEBATE. THE OPPOSITION IN A QUANDARY. PUBLIC SERVICE BILL. DISCUSSED .IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Reciprocal trade relations with Australia were mentioned in tho House of yesterday by Mr. T. Bux*on, member for Temuka, who urged tho Government to sparo no.effort in attempting to'come to.terms with the Commonwealth,.. The Prime Minister stated that . The ' qu'eslion" was' tod important to bo \lealt. with .that session, but that a-con-iference would probably be held during the , recess,- at which representatives of iNeiv. Zealand, Australia, Canada, and possibly South Africa, would attend, with a .view rto promoting reciprocal trade, relations. ■ . ■ '.'..'."'. J Only about an hour was spent in discussing the, report of the Education Com- : mission, it-hen the : Hon. James Allen moved to refer that document to the Edu- " Vation Committee. The Minister and all but a few, members refrained, from discussing the report, and those'.who did Idiscuss it spoke briefly, several of -.them stating that they would speak .at greater . (length"when tho Education Committee (had reported. ■.':'"■. I The Justices of the Peace Amendment tßjfl and the Pharmacy Amendment Bill . ftvererend n. third time. . i ■ The Auckland University . College ' lAmendment Bill'was read a second time, i At five .o'clock" the House commenced rhe second reading debate upon tlio Land Tnx and Income Tax Bill—tho annual faxing Bill which on this.occasion provides for a twenty-five per cent, increase )n the graduated land tax on estates of tS3o,ooo'.' and over. Opposition members Who spoke agreed "in describing the Bill as a; delusion. Mr. Wilford referred to it as )"a confidence. trick/.'and Mr. Forbes said jttiat it was a case of "the hands of Esau but the voice of Jacob." Each one of these objectors announced, however, that lie would support the Bill. The attitude of the Opposition drew. what Mr. G. W. Kussell described as expressions of_ ."amused joy?' from. Government members. Tho debate lasted until shortly before taidnigkt, when the Hon. James Allen fnado a brief but forcible reply to critics of the Bill. ' The second .reading was ngreed to on the voices. The Public Trust Office Amendment Bill tmd the Hauraki Plains Amendment Bill were also read a second time. ■ The House rose at 0.45 .a.m. . ' . " . More'or less formal • matters occupied the attention of i;the» Legislative Council <for some time yesterday, during the opening 'stages, but the Council settled down ,to solid work on the second reading deibate. oh the Pntlic Service Bill. Tho first !two or three speakers carried the debato on until the 5 p.m. adjournment, at which istage it was decided to depart from the 'customary rule of. adjourning, and resumo in the evening. The debate was 'still unfinished. N when the Council' rose ljust before 10 p.m.