PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1921, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

SI’DCIAI. TO GU.UIUIAN. T\KLEG HAI \H CHAKG ES. WELLINGTON, Dec 2. Mr Clutlrfc Mackenzie asked the Post-master-General in the Ho«so tins afterno,,, ,if he would reduce the telegraph charge* so that the old principle of low charges and increased turnover might he tested. This principle appeared to kavt* been overlooked in recent years. If it was successful, the same principle usight ho applied to other services Hon .1 G. Coates replied that duiiug a period of six months the new teWruph charges had reduced the volume” of business by 13 per cent, and increased tho revenue by <o,o. l « cr « was a substantial loss on tliei liandlin ofthc telegrams, and bis present task | Ja, to make tbe Post Office pay its wav When that had been done, he , would he. prepared to make concessions '** "• Ui RUU*H DUTY. Consideration of the details of the now tariff was resumed by the- House this afternoon. Several amendments fvon. the Labour bench occupied the tiom me ' Holland moved was defeated in each instance h> largo majority. ■ , 0 d to move Umir Sugar is free under the pr#tere. ti ll tariff hut is charged id per P°"” ( uiulc it he general tariff. Some men, ; argued that this duty would prevent the people of New Zf* andI Retting cheaper sugar and would benefit ** r reqiibed to pitted the Government ; s contract with the Company. Gom - uiem had agreed to take sugar from the Company at a faced price until June next, and if foreign sugar cun in at a reduced price, tho loss cl ti e contract would have to he carried by '''Mr'Matsev"remarked that he did not think 'the contract would be renewed after June next, and in that ease the duty would not he required. The House retained the duty by 40 colts U>a °* TOBACCO DUTIES When the House reached the tobncio duties, Mr Rhodes (Thames) made a protest against the duty of 10s per pound on tine cut tobacco suitable foi the manufacture of cigarettes. Mh> , was the smoker of cigarettes to he penalised in this fashion, when the man who used coarse tobacco paid only 4s to os per pound. The former duty oil cigarette tobacco had been only 3s 6d ~ci pound said Mr Rhodes, and the etieet of the new duty was to make smokers' hand made cigarettes more expensive than imported machine made cig-

arettes. . , Mr .McCombs (Lyttelton) carried the protest a stage further by moving that tbs- dutv on cigarette tobacco should lie reduced from 10s per pound to 3s (id per pound. The Minister for Customs exphu te l Lluit the intention of the Government had been to place the man who bought cigaivtto tobacco and made his own cigarettes on the same basis as tinman who used imported cigarette . which were to pay dutjy of 25s 6d per 1000. . . Mr Rkudos: You are putting him in a worst- position. He is papers to the bad. The Minister added that the object ot the- duty was to raise revenue. He sympathised with the smokers. ‘Tiie amendment was defeated l.y 41 votes tm i). ... i> . Then the Leader of the Labour 1 arty moved to reduce the duty on p ng tobacco from 4s 10.1 per pound to the old rate of 3s tkl per pound. His amendment was rejected by 38 votes, to 26.

TUF. TARIFF DISCUSSION. WELLINGTON, D ec f The now duties cm spirits and alcoholic beverages wore accepted almost without debate, but the House argued for some time about perfumed spirt--and Cologne water before “ (be duty of 70s per gallon, hj 37 votes to 24. I about' members sought to have Acetic acid placed on the free list as being an article used extensively for medicinal purposes. , . Other members stated acetic- acid was iwcd chiefly for the manufacture ot imitation vinegar, which ought to be prohibited. The duty was retained. The llci-K.- divided concerning disinfectants, cream of tartar and eucalyptus oil, without alteration to. the tariff. Piefcrentil treatment was continued for British sew ing cottons, after some members had condemned “The Trust” me'-i----ods of the British manufacturers. \fter am. the House discussed th# duty on “tyres. Mr Coates stated that revenue from this source would he used for road maintenance. The construction of roads would he financed from the Public Works’ fund. The allocation of maintenance money among various districts could he arranged on a basis of mileage. The- House adjourned after getting nearly half wav through the first schedule of the Bill.