PARLIAMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 1 September 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. IMPORTANT BILLS PASSED. WELLINGTON, Aug. 31. The House met at 2.30.

Replying to questions, the Minister said it would cot be proper to allow the Hew duties to be collected on stocks held prior to the recent increase in tariff; that a complaint had beemade that whey butter was being ex-

ported as; factory butter. This matter

was being inquired into. That free passes on the railways- won Id be allowed to parents who wished* to meet t;ie:r sick and wounded sons who would arrive by the Willochra;- that if it was desired, a day would be set apart "for the discussion of tux? E'oyal Commission 's report on the Trentham Camp; ! that a precis of the War Pensions Act would 1 be printed in Maori for circulation; that in cases where' parents could not undertake' the expetvse of faking letters of administration ' through the Courts, the- Public Trustee- would do so at a very slight expense-. Leave of" absence 1 for irhV remrrunder of the session was granted" to the Hon. Heaton Rhodes on account of public , business. i

The, Destitute- Persons- .Amendment Bill (Mr. Harris), and the National Provident Fund Amendment Bill (Mr. Myers) were' introduced and; read a first time.

The .second'reading of tlieHutt Boad Bill (No. 2)3' was- moved by the Eon. Mr. Herries, who explained that the Bill provided for the apportionment of the monies to be paid by I/oeaf bodies towards the construction of' woTks, also for the appointment of a board <rf control. After considerable discussion; the motion was carried.

The Regulation of Trade and Commerce Amendment Bill was introduced by Sir Joseph "Ward, who dealt with the matter of its urgency. He explained on the motion for the second reading of the Bill, that it was intended to provide that increased duties should not be claimed upon mineral oil's and motor spirits held in the Dominion prior to 24th August last.

Messrs. AViJkiiiscn, Dr: Newman, Thacker, Witty, Isitt, Anstey, BtiicK, Webb, Glover, and Escott spoke in opposition to the tax. The motion was carried, and the Bill was reported from Committee without amendment, read a third time, a.id passed. Mr. Parr said that two reading- principles had been followed in passing the Budget. One was to put the- burden Of taxation upon those best able ro bear it; the other was to save as much as possible the small farmer and the worker. He suggested that the tax of 50 per cent, on enemy goods should be increased. The four main revenue producing features of the Budget were land and income tax, Customs, railways, and Post and Telegraphs, which comprised about 82 per cent, of the new taxation. He favoured the increase of the graduated land tax, which did not hit the small settler or smail landowner. He generally approved of the increases proposed, but objected to the tax of 4d' per gallon on motor spirit, which should be reduced to 2d per gallon. He also advocated the taxation of picture shows —in fact, all places of amusement. He congratulated the Minister for Finanee on his courageous attempt to deal with a difficult problem, and said he thought the country could stand even a larger amount of extra taxation than \~s.s proposed if required. On the motion of Mr. Witty, the debate Avas adjourned.

PRICE OF FOWL FEED. The Prime Minister said he had a great deal of sj-mpathy with poultry farmers, who during the past twelve months had had a very bad time. The cost of feed had been high, and out of proportion to the price obtainabL for eggs. He understood that the Minister for Agriculture was introducing legislation providing for the stamping of imported eggs as such. This w.uld help poultry farmers to some extent. Owing to the present high freights ruling, it was impossible to import wheat to New Zealand at. a price below that at which it was at present obtainable here. The price of wheat was about as low here as in almost any other country in the world, and while Parliament approved of the Government importing wheat and selling it at a slight loss for the making of braid for the people, he did not think Parliament would j allow the Government to import, wheat and sell it at a loss for poultry feed. He was at a lis'? to see how anything else could be done.