COLONIAL FURNITURE WOODS. [From the Adelaide Observer.}

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 60, 29 November 1845, Page 4

COLONIAL FURNITURE WOODS. [From the Adelaide Observer.}

In the debate on the Tariff, in the House of Commons, on the 17th March, a conversation arose on the subject of the admission duty free, of wood adapted to the making of furniture, and as it is well known that we have several such woods in the colony, and the question is therefore one of some interest to our readers, we subjoin the following extract from the Times, containing that portion of the debate :—: — Mr. C. Buller said the right hon. baronet had stated that furniture woods would be exempted from duty. He had thought they would have been included in one -category; but he found the Government had enumerated the woods

they meant to exempt. Now, there were various new kinds of these woods continually coming in from the Colonies, with respect to which he wished to know whether, if left unenumerated, they would come in under the general designation ? Many such woods, the produce of Ceylon and New Zealand, were not found m the list at all. After a remark from Sir G. Clerk, m Mr. Lahouchere said that, consistently with their professed views, the Government ought to encourage the importation of these new furniture woods. There were many species of woods in the colonies which had hitherto been kept out by the duty. They all ought to be admitted on the same terms as mahogany. After a remark from Mr. Hume, Sir G. Clerk said, as soon as the names ot these new furniture woods were known, they might be admitted free of duty. i Mr. Hutt would give a list to-morrow to the i right hon. gentleman of the New Zealand woods. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said all kinds of timber might be admitted if it were not stated what furniture woods were to be free. Year by year new articles were continually imported, with respect to which the Treasury had been in the habit of taking upon themselves to affix the rate of duty of the corresponding articles until an act of Parliament passed the fixing duties. Mr. C. Buller observed, the list was an ungracious one. There were a great number of furniture woods from Italy, among others olive wood, fig, and orange wood, which were not in the list. Lord J. Russell suggested that the Chancellor of the Exchequer should communicate with the officers of the Customs, in order to a further classification of these woods. Mr. Mitchell asked whether the Government meant to take off the duty on wainscot logs ; if not, he should submit a proposition for that purpose. Sir R. Peel said, the Government was under the necessity of making some discrimination. If they said that wainscot woods in general were to come in, it would be contended that wainscot logs from the Baltic should come in free of duty.