HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 72, 21 September 1895, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, September 20. The House met at 2.30. Hon. Seddon said he would inform the Honse on Tuesday what Bills Government intended to drop. Hon Ward moved that the House go into Committee of Ways and Means. Mr Millar moved as an amendment, That in the opinion of this House there were some articles omitted from the tariff which were more suitable for taxation than many of those which were provided for, and that steps should be taken to have this remedied. He said he did not move this amendment in any hostile spirit, but he thought it might serve to call the attention of the House ■ to two questions, viz., whether private members had a voice in the taxation of the country and whether it was adyisable to increase the excise duty on Colonial beer. Hon. Seddon hoped the House would now got to work seriously with the tariff. It was necessary to go into Committee of Ways and Means to make the schedule of the Bill correspond with the resolutions passed by the House. It was undeniable that some items were omitted from taxation which might be included but it was simply impossible to bring down a tariff to please everybody. He hoped, therefore, the House would negative the amendmet. Mr R. McEenzie urged the redaction of taxation on articles used by miners. Mr Millar's amendment was lost by 33 to 22, and the House went into Com* mittee of Ways and Means. Several minor alterations in the tariff resolutions were formally agreed to f discussion being reserved for the schedule of the Bill. Mr Thos. Mackenzie moved an additional resolution providing for the free admission of certain classes of flannelettes, bnt this was lost by 42 to 17. Mr Thos Mackenzie moved a proviso to the fruit duties that from the 30th of April to 20th November in each year no duty exceeding |d per pound be levied or collected on all apples and pears im< ported into New Zealand. Hon Seddon objected to this attempt to defeat by a side wind what the Honse had already decided. The proviso was carried by 38 to 29. Mr Maslin moved that the item rice be added to the free list.—Lost by 34 to 24. Mr Carnell moved that cement required for harbour works be admitted duty free. Hon Ward said the revenue could not afford this loss ; besides, all local bodies were as much entitled to this concession as Harbour Boards. After a very long discussion Mr Car-,. - nell accepted the suggestion of Mr Thos^ ; McKenzie to make the amendment ap-', ply to cement used by all local governing bodies. The amendment was lost by 36 to 16. Mi- Miller moved an amendment, to provide that spirits received into the col v ony must have been three years in bond. He did this in order to check the ad_ris- - siou of a cheap class of spirits . ;: The Chairman ruled the amendment out of order, but said Mr Miller could bring it forward when in committee on , the Bill. Mr E. McKenzie moved that the duty on candles be reduced from twopence to one penny per pound. Lost by 85 to 18. The resolutions from the Committee of Ways and Means were reported to the House. The Customs and Excise Duties Bill was further considered in Committee. On the item fruit being reached, the amendment carried earlier in the proceedings, viz., that between April and November only a duty of a half-penny should be charged on apples and pears, evoked another discussion. It was suggested to alter the dates to between May and November, bnt this was ruled out of order. The original resolution was confirmed by 30 to 29. A motion to reduce preserved milk from 25 per cent ad valorem to 20 per cent was lost by 39 to 22. Motions to reduce the rates on pickles and sauces were both lost. Tea, 5d per lb until 81st December, 1995, and 5d thereafter. —Mr McGowan moved that the rate be reduced to 4d instead of sd. —On division " sd" was struck ont by 36 to 12. Mr Earnshaw moved to reduce the duty to 3d. Hon Seddon said it was evident that the last vote meant that the House wanted to make the duty 4d. If a reduction was made to 3d Government would have to refuse to make the reductions they promised in other items, as they could not do without revenue. Hon Ward impressed on the House that Governnment could not submit to any weakening of their finance. After a short discussion Messrs Batton , Allan, as members of the Opposition, said after the statement of the Premier and Mr Ward they would not assist in weuking the Government finance. Mr McGowan's amendment to make the duty 4d was carried by 41 to 19. Mr Collins moved that in addition to the duty of 4d per lb, an extra duty of Id per lb be placed on all tea in packets, of 191bs weight and under. Mr Ward accepted the amendment bat the Chairman ruled it out of ordar.^ Capt. Russell moved to reduce the patent medicines from 40 per cent to 35 per cent—Lost by 21 to 35. The motion by Mr Larnach to reduce the duty on British and Foreign made wearing apparel from 40 per cent to 25 per cent was lost by 41 to 18. Turkey twills and printed cotton dress fabrics were reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. At 2.40 a.m. progress was reported, and the House rose till 7.30 this even*