PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 918, 21 November 1879, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The Gold Duty Abolition Bill, moved by Mr Seddon was lost by a majority of one, owing to the absence from Parliament of the Goldfields membe-s. The Miners’ Right Fee reduction second reading was carried by Mr Pyke with a majority of six. Fears are entertained that the loan cannot be floated till Spring. Business is progressing satisfactorily. The Opposition are preserving an attitude of armed neutrality, waiting for the Financial and Public Works Statements.

The advocates of Women’s Suffrage have refused to extend it to women who have no property. Sir George Grey asked if the Government will be prepared to purchase locomotives built in the Colony at a price above the cost of similar engines imported from England, the engines being guaranteed to stand such test as may be required ; an 1 if found suitable, will an order be given for 15 to 20 of such locomotives for use on the New Zealand Railways ; and will the Government call for tenders to ascertain the price they can he supplied at. The Hon. Mr Oliver replied that the late Government had ordered sufficient rollingstock to serve for several years. The Hon. Major Atkinson said the Government hoped to make provision on the Supplementary Estimates for placing Fire Brigades in the same position as regards capitations allowances as that held by Volunteers.

Major Atkinson delivered the Financial Statement. It has been telegraphed to us in full, but is necessarily held over It deals with the position of the consolidated funds, reviews the yeas’s expenditure and income, public debt, public works fund, proposals for equalising futureexpenditure, property tax, to be levied a f a penny per £ on all nett incomes after deducting L3OO as exempt from taxation ; this tax is estimated to yield L 470.000 for the year. The Statement then proceeds to consider the tariff.

The following are some of the principal items from the corrected list of the proposed tariff: Chaff, 10s per ton. Grain and pulse of every hind (not otherwise enumerated), Is per lOOlbs, Grain, when ground or iu any way manufactured, la per lOOlbs. Malt, 2s per bushel. Peas (split), Is per cwt. Hops, 6d p»r lb.

Spirits or strong waters, not being sweetened or mixed with any article so that the degree or strength thereof cannot be ascertained by Sykes’s hydrometer, for every gallon of the strength of proof by such hydrometer, and so in proportion for any greater or less strength than the strength of proof, and for any greater or less quantity than a gallon, I4s per proof gallon of spirits.

Other spirits, being sweetened or mixed so that the degree of strength can be ascertained as aforesaid, I4s per gallon of spirits.

Tobacco, 3s 6d per Ih. Cigars and cigarettes, 6s per lb. Wine, other than sparkling and Australian, Ss per gallon.