HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 56, 31 August 1894, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House mot at 2.30. An Imprest Supply Bill for £380,000 was put through all its stages. In reply to a question, Mr Ward said the amount of Customs revenue collected for the month of July was £130,343, an increase of £14,600 as compared with the month of June. The Dairy Industry Bill was read a second time, an-l then sent to the Ag- j ricultural Committee. Mr Mc&enzie (Buller) moved an amendment, on going into Committee of Supply, that the time has arrived when an import duty should be imposed on coal. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. At 7.30 p.m. the House resumed, and tho debate on Mr McKenzie's amendineut was carried on at great length. Mr Seddon said he sympathised with the amendment, but suggested the matter siiouid be deferred for tho presont, as retaliatory measures would be inadvisable at the present juncture, when a new Ministry had just taken office in New South Wales. If he were free to vote on the question he should support the amendment, but, speaking on behalf of the Government, he hoped the debate would be brought to a close so that the House could go on with the Estimates. Mr Ward thought the discussion on the amendment would do good. His opinion was that if a duty was put on Newcastle coal the price of coal in the colony would not increase, but they should wait till they saw what policy the new Ministry in New South Wales was before they took any steps in the matter. Hitherto he hud been opposed to an import duty on coal, but be now thought the time had arrived when, if hostile tariffs by the other colonies were kept up, it was our boundan duty to put heavy import duties on productions from these colonies. With regard to wheat he must say if he had his way, and found that continued importation of Australian cereals into New Zealand affected local producers he would favor an increase of import duty on these products. He contended even if this were done it would not cause an in crease in the price of bread. Several other members also spoke. Mr Reeves said he did not think any evil consequences would result from the imposition of a duty on coal. Captain Russell strongly opposed the amendment, which wai lost on the voices, and the House went into Committee of Supply for the further consideration of the Estimates. Progress was reported, and the House rose.