PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1964, 10 June 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[Bv Telegraph.]

[feoh ope own coebbspondbnt.] WELLINGTON, June 0. Political gossip has been slack to-day, all interest being engrossed by the financial statement made last night. There is great diversity of opinion regarding the merits of the various proposals, but the general view se ems to be that theQovernment financial poliey is an honest and able effort to grapple with existing and prospective difficulties. Members are very reticent at present on the subject, and are exceedingly chary of committing themselves until they can see how the proposals go down with the public. Each member is very anxious to ascertain other members’ views, but very reluctant to disclose his own. The beer tax seems to be approved by the majority, but a large number, both in and out of the House, regret that the tea and sugar duties were not re-imposed. The concession regarding the property tax does not give universal satisfaction, many who had really thought the matter out seeing clearly that the exemption is all in favor of the more wealthy class. However, the people clamoured for it and have got it. Members are still more shy of intimating any decided opinion as to the local finance scheme offered in lieu of subsidies, and there is likely to be much difference of opinion on this head, but the question is so complicated that it is not yet fully grasped by most people. Ministers are universally regarded as having

I committed an error of judgment lost night in allowing Sir G. Grey to entrap them into a long and acrimonious debate after the delivery of the statement, but Sir G. Grey’s three long: speeches have disgusted even many of his admirers, as they wore unspeakably weak and twaddling. Ho completely wearied even his' own supporters, and finally sat down amid silence even on the part of his special clacquers, to his manifest astonishment and disgust. ' I mentioned yesterday that a good deal of speculation took place among the mercantile community in anticipation of probable increases in the Customs duties expected to be announced in the House last night. While only £440 was taken at the Customs on Saturday, on Monday £ll6O was collected, and yesterday no less than £232713s 6i was collected. The average receipts lately have been about £6OO per day. ; A very widespread impression prevailed that the tea and sugar duties would be re-imposed, and for some time psst considerable quantities of these goods have been taken out of bond, According to the “ Post,” when the Rotomahana arrived from Sydney, one wellknown firm paid £654 on tea alone. The same firm yesterday paid £406 on the same article, while on the 31st of May one Wellington firm paid over £230 on sugar; and two others paid over £IOO each on the same article. A soft goods firm took out £360 worth of 15 per cent, goods,-apparently under the impression that a higher tax was to be placed_ on these. An unusually large quantity of spirits, especially under proof qualities, was also cleared, but an increased duty on imported beer does not appear to have been at all apprehended. Messrs Bannatynoand Co. were the. only merchants who went in at all largely for clearing this article, they taking out goods ,on which the duty amounted to about £l4O. Merchants also, without exception, were completely deceived in their anticipations. One firm may congratulate itself on not being “let in” for a heavier amount, as had the Tararua arrived at Russell yesterday before the Custom House closed, a large quantity of sugar consigned to the gentleman vin question would have been landed there, and duty amounting to several hundreds of pounds paid on it. Yesterday afternoon they were anxiously fearing that the steamer would not arrive; this morning they have reason to congratulate themselves on the delay in her arrival, The “ Post ” also remarks that there was ample opportunity offered last night for “ a smart man of business” on the part of the local brewers and others, and a corresponding loss to the revenue. The announcement of the new duties on beer was made about nine o’clock last night, and as the duties were not ordered to come into force until this day (Juno 9th), between nine and twelve o’clock last night there was plenty of time for a brewer who was at the House to hurry down to his place of business and clear out all his stock before “ the witching hour.” As a matter of fact I believe that when the Customs officers this morning went round to collect the duties on the beer in stock they found that one brewer had little or nothing to be taxed, while I hear of another who held 150 hogsheads yesterday. I am not aware, however, whether in the other case it was done in the way suggested or whether it was done through the foresight of the gentleman in question before the statement was delivered. There are some curious disclosures on this subject in a telegram from a Napier correspondent, who says that there was an extraordinary muddle over the beer tax there, A brewer in town knew the exact amount of the tax early in the day, and one hotel laid in over 2000 gallons, besides which other houses laid in stocks also. Again, before daylight this morning all the carts in the town were carrying away beer from the breweries, and it was not until ten minutes to ten o'clock that the Customs and police authorities were officially informed of the tax, though the police had been waiting up all night in expectation of having to perform some urgent duty. The result is that some hundreds of pounds of duty have been lost, the sum collected being only £l4O, It also appears that the publicans held a meeting before the statement was delivered, and discussed the tax and who was to bear it. It is noteworthy that the intentions of the Government regarding local finance were improperly disclosed in Napier while a strict State secret, and it would be interesting to know who has either succeeded in surprising both these secrets apd then has revealed them, or who has been the betrayer of the confidence reposed in him; The Wellington auctioneers assert that the Bill introduced by the Colonial Secretary is a copy of an old Southern Ordinance. A deputation waited on the Colonial Treasurer some time ago, and suggested a measure, and steps are now being taken for another deputation to wait on the Government in reference to the Bill.

In the second number of “Hansard,” containing a debate in the Legislative Council on the Hon. Q-. M. Waterhouse’s motion regarding the five million loan all the stray remarks of the Hons. Scotland and Brett are carefully omitted. Attention is likely to be directed to this garbling of the report.