PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1931, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

THE HOUSE.

(By Telegraph—Per Frees Association )

WELLINGTON, November 3

In the House of Representatives, the Public Works ; statement and estimates were presented. Amendments, to the Broadcasting .Bill were introduced by Governor-Genefai’s message.

Mr A. Hamilton (Wallace; said that the principal,' amendment provided for the setting up of an advisory council to the Board. The council would consist of eight inembers from various parts of New Zealand. The Bill was read the second time. The amendment to the Stamp Duties Amendment Act was similarly introduced, , and was agreed to. Hon. W. D. Stewart (Dunedin West) explained that the amendment exempted passengers who, before the introduction of the Bill, had booked their passages from payment tax upon their tickets. He said it seemed unjust that they should be called upon to pay the tax, of which neither they mu th e shipping companies had any know, ledge-at the time when the passages were booked. He had had referred to him a number of cases where steerage passages had been booked, and where hardship would have occurred. The Transport License 'Bill (number 2) was introduced and rend for the first time. The Rt. Hon, J. G. Coates said thnt v ' as had been intimated, the earlier measure had been redrafted, The main principles had been retained, but provision was made far the retention of the , existing Licensing authorities in the four main, centres. The Customs resolutions were introduced and passed. The Customs Amendment Bill, giving effect, to alterations made from time to time, was introduced by Gov-ernor-General’Sj message and was read the first time. , CUSTOMS ALTERATIONS. The following are the chief alterations made by Customs resolutions: Molasses, now free; unmanufactured tobacco, now 2/6 per lb; raw furskins now 5 per cent; gramophone now free, (British),' 25 per cent. (foreign). Increased duties, were , made permanent on all goods, except apparel :and silks which terminate at th e end of March, 1933. A DUTY ON CIGARETTES AND, TOBACCO. The aggregate is abolished on local-ly-made tobacco and cigarettes. Excise duty on cigarettes is now 10/- per pound, or 2 of- per 1030 which ever is the higher. ?oT The ,Hgn. B W. D. Stewart explained > thatdt had been decided to remove all reference to dates of operation of duties, except in certain cases, as it had been represented that disorganisation Of trade would result if the date termination were fixed, and that the .net result (if alterations in tobacco duties would be not, The protection on pipe tobacco, made wholly from imported tobacco leaf, would be slight ly over 5d per lb,, increasing to over 2/9 per lb when wholly locally-grown leaf was used. With respect to cigarettes, the protection was about 1/S per lb. when only imported leaf was used, increasing to 4/2 per lb.. when cigarettes were made wholly from loc-ally-grown leaf.