POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2556, 2 September 1915, Page 3

POLITICAL AFFAIRS

GOVERNMENT PARTI' MEETS. : A.meeting of the Reform Party was held, jestoiday morning.' There was no special business beforethe meeting, but ... t&e Budget proposals were discussoa informally, ( and also the new conditions cieated m the House by the formation -... ■ ot. the National Cabinet. ■ THE NEW DUTIES. ■ The opinion is very':widely held in the House that the; Government's pro- : posals .- for Customs duties' on motor spirit, , kerosene, and other refined petroleunr oilß will not go through , without modfiication/ Indeed, it is: stated in . some v quarters that the . Government will, drop tho. 'taxes altogether; and get the revenue some other way. ■ It ' v'; is stated to .be practically certain that the beor duty proposals will be altered, i . The beer interests- h'aye Tew friends in •: vVjthe House,' and "a majority • of; members- .: ':; : 'are not satisfied either, with tho amount : .- of tho now impost or :with the method .-.of-levying' it. - ,The proposal as defined v. -' "'in the Budget-is that duty be levied on '; beer; according to its strength, the avowed object being to encourage the . ■ Jsonsumption of lighter ales, as Mr: Witty stated in the House last night, it hapipens .that lighter 'ales are manufactured .. yiby/r-the Auckland breweriesthan by • fanyi brewers in the -southern towns, -ana a;tax -such as is proposed will not fall so heavily on the Auelcland brewers -as on those, say, in Dunedin'. -For'this ■ i reasonmany members regard the pro■!posal as inequitable. It is regarded as . \Jiighly; probable'/tliat the -new,;method. : ,W'ill. be., dropped - nltogetheiv': and that. A 'heavier duty will be levied by the simple method of a definite rate, per igallon. FIVE-YEAR PARLIAMENTS? The question of extending tSe Parliainentary, tenure to fivo years is to b« considered /by. -Parliament, this session. : 'Mr. W:: Nosworthy (Ashburton). last week asked the Prime Minister whether ■ho would-introduce, legislation.to amend Section: 13 of the Legislature: Act, 1908; - : bv, providing for the. continuance of the , House of Representatives for five -years • lieu of three years,'the amendment to :.S.::}ialseyefEect;after:the, : ltenninatio'n!,'of tlib present Parliament. Replying .yesterday the Prime Minis- 1 : ter. said', that the question will receive -the 'serious consideration of the Gov- • ernment before the term of- the presout parliament couios to an end. : .