PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1921, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

.Sl’lXlAb to ur.utoiANli pill t til) I- P.EiDHT CHAIL'Es W ELLINGTON, Dec. ■>. The Prime Minister told meinhers of ,|,o House this afternoon, that the new freight rules announced by hjuiping Companies represented a reduction of throe-eightli& per penny on heel, cue farthing on mutton and lamb, one sixt, eiuli of a penny on cheese, one dub ling per box on butter, twenty shillings ,ton Oil tallow and bides, and twenty-seven shillings per ton on kauri gam. These reductions said Mr Mas„«.s• were satisfactory as far as they went.

TRAMWAY LOANS RILL. Tim House cleared the order paper ol 'ocal Hills this afternoon in (illicit time. One Christchurch Bill established an hiInfestin'' precedents by g.ivitig f.biist,.lninli Tramway Roald p'uvo, |o bur row up to L-20.1WW1 ill any one year with out a poll of the ratepayers, provided that notice of I lie intention to I kotow wm given and a poll was taken if one thousand ratepayers petitioned for it. The Local Rills Committee had struck out ibis clause, on the ground that the ratepayers ought to control all loan proposals, but the House reinstated tiny clause at the mutest of Mr Isut (Christchurch North), and passed the ■Rill.

A Till.l. KILLED. The Labour Bills Committee re. ommotided Hint the Daylight Bill should not lie allowed to proceed. This Bill, put forward by a Labour member pro'posed that bakers shall do all their work in the day time, and that no bread shall be sold until it is twelve Imurs old. Labour members protested at some length against tile killing of the Bill. CONSIDERATION OF TARIFF. WELLINGTON. Dec R,

The House of Roprosntativos resumed the consideration of the now Customs Tariff yesterday evening. Many small items occupied the attention of members and the progress made was not very rapid. The duty on sheet and window glass in the general tariff was red need from 20 per cent to 10 per cent on the motion of the Minister for Customs. The Minister undertook to consider a suggestion that infants feeding bottles should be admitted free of duty. Lalmur members amendments proposing (o place clocks watches and spoiling goods on the free list, were defeated by a large majority.

Questioned regarding the duty on cineinatograpli machines, the Minister explained that a local firm was manufacturing these machines sm-cessl idly. Tim House refused to place gramophones on the free list.

An amendment suspending (he dutyoil paper used by orchardists for wrapping fruit was adopted on the motion of the Minister, the duty to he suspended until local mills can produce paper of tile ieq uired quality at the import price. 11 was stated that the orchardists at present are getting their pajier from Sweden and are paying £l4O a ton for 100 tons annually.

The House reached the end of (Tass 0 and is now more than half way through the schedules

The Prime Minister stated hef(oro the adjournment at 10.40 that lie hop <-d to complete the schedules todav