PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1077, 2 October 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

"Wellington, October 1. In the House of Representatives toIn reply to Mr. Adams, the Premier said that Government did not in the meantime intend to introduce a Bill to amend the existing Licensing Act so as to equalise the license fee throughout the Colony, as those fees were the revenues of local bodies. In reply to Mr. Ballance, the Premier said the Government would lay before the House comparative returns showing the exports and imports, foreign and coastal, of timber and grain for the March, June, and September quarters of the calendar years 1878-9. Mr. Wakefield asked the Treasurer (1) whether lie was aware that the Land Tax Commissioner is demanding payment of a whole year's land tax on the Ist day of October, though the eighth clause of the Land Tax Act, 1878, provides that the tax shall be payable by equal half-yearly payment ; (2) whether the Government intend to insist oil the payment of the tax for the whole year in one payment, and if so, under what provision of the law they propose to take that step. The Treasurer said it was impossible to collect the first half-yearly tax due in April last in consequence of the work requiring to be done. There was no reason why it should not be collected now. The next half-year's tax was due on the Ist October, and it was competent to collect both half-year's together under clauses & and 9 of the Act.

Mr. Speight re-opened tlie debate on the want of confidence amendment, speaking in favor of the Government. Colonel Trimble and Mr. Dick spoke in opposition to the Government, and Messrs. Moss, Gisborne, and Ireland supported the Government. The speeches contained nothing new of importance. At 11.40 p.m. the debate was adjourned till to-morrow, on the motion of Mr. Fisher.