DEBATE ON ESTIMATES. MR SHANNON'S APPOINTMENT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 399, 4 September 1889, Page 5

DEBATE ON ESTIMATES. MR SHANNON'S APPOINTMENT.

Wellington, this day. Auour 10 o'clock last night the House got into Committee of Supply. The iirst'class of the estimates taken was that of Customs, of which Sir Harry Atkinson, as Customs Commissioner, was in charge. It was known that on this Department a lengthy debate was threatened over the appointment of Mr Shannon, the Customs expert. This proved to be the case. Mr Hutchison moved in the matter, bringing bhe appointment under the attention of the House. The Commissioner of Customs said Mr Shannon was receiving a salary of £800 a-year, besides 30s per day travelling allowance when travelling in the public .sot-vice. The engagement was only lor twelve months, but the Government thought his services would probably be required for three years. By" the end of that timo the Customs oilicial would be sufficiently expert in the ways of trade to deal with all questions for themselves. There was no question as to the very valuable services Mr Shannon had rendered. Mr McKellar, Secretary of Customs, had expressed the deliberate opinion that not less than £5,000 had been saved to the revenue by his means. Mr Walker suggested that it would have been better to state Mr Shannon's salary openly on the Estimates instead of including it in the item for contingencies. The Commissioner said that if that were done it would give Mr Shannon the status of a Civil servant, which the Government were desirous of avoiding ; as they did not want to increase the number of Civil servants. Mr W. J. Steward asked why it was more necessary to appoint an expert in other tiades than drapery, who knew the " ways " ol the trade (laughter.) Mr T. Mackenzie thought ironmongery was a still more intricate line, and Mr Shannon had shown himself incapable of interpreting the soft goods tarifl. Fifty men could be found fully capable of doing the work, and who would undertake to do it ior £400 a year. He proposed that £300 be struck oil the item for contingencies, by way of direction to the Government to reduce the salary. Mr Kerr said Mr Shannon had been brought to the colony as an inspector, and had been employed, as such by the best houses ever since. Mr Monk thought it scarcely creditable to the Customs Department that it needed the assistance of an expert. If £5,000 had been saved it had been at the cost ofdrag - ging the good names ot business men of integrity through the mire. Mr Bruce thought thit when dealing with a stringent tariff an expert was necessary, and Mr Shannon seemed to be a man of exceptional experience and ability. That being so, the &alary did not seem excessive. Mr Ballance supported the appointment, and said he thought the revenue was sufleiing in many directions from smuggling, especially in items of tobacco, and it would be advisable to organise a kind of detective service in the Customs Department. Messrs Fish and Hobbs supported the appointment and Dr. Newman disapproved ot it. An error had been made in the salary of the Collector of Customs for Auckland ; viz, £575 instead of £550. This was rectified.