PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 30 August 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

WEDNESDAY'S SITTING. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Per Press Association.

Wellington, August 29. After midnight Air Hogg moved an amendment: "That the duty on Hour i.e abolished." It was negatived by 32 votes to 31. The division list was as follows: For the amendment (31): Aitken, E. G. Allen, J. Allen, Arnold, Barber, Co:vin, Davey, Ell, Eield, Eisner, Graham, Uray, lireeiislude, liuinuess, Hall, llogan, Hogg, Izard, Jennings, Laurenson, Leth- | bridge, Malcolm, Okey, Poland, Poole, Ross, Seddon, Sidey, Syines, Tanner, Wit ford.

Against (32): Barejay, "Bennett, Bollard, Buddo, Carroll, Dillon, Duncan, Flatuian, Eowlds, A. L I). Eraser, W. Eraser, Hanan, Denies, llorusly, Kidd, Lang, Lawry, Lewis, Mcliowan, McNab, McPlierson, Major, Mander, Alassey, Millar, Ngata, lieid, Stallworthy, Thomson, Ward, Witty, Wood.

An amendment to place bill hooks, 'slashers, and hedge knives on the free list was moved by Mr Hemes.

Mr Buddo said these were now being made by the blacksmiths of the colony, who produced a much superior article to the imported one. Mr Millar said the industry, which originated under a 20 per cent, duty, had languished owing to the duty having been removed. The present proposals were in accordance with the Government's policy of granting assistance to local industries.

The amendment was negatived by 10 to 23.

At Clause 13 (goods subject to 20 per cent.), "Motor vehicles (other than motor cars or motor 'buses), and wheels for same, motor car bodies or bodies for motor 'buses whether attached or unattached," Mr ilornsby moved to strike out the words "other than motor ears or motor 'buses." He considered that the clause as framed was indefinite, and his object was to make the whole car pay 20 per cent. A long discussion followed. The amendment was earned by 31 votes to 32.

Mr Massey moved to exempt seed oats from duty.—Lost on division by 43 to 19. All.the schedules were completed and referred to a committee of the House.

Progress was reported and the House rose at 1.55 a.m.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Council met at 2.30. The Pure Foods Bill Committee brought down a report recommending the measure to be, passed, with amendments incorporated. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Apiaries Bill, passed by the other Chamber, to encour,.ge and protect the bee industry in New Zealand. He explained that the principal provision was to make the keeping oi frame hives compulsory for the purpose o£ inspection. Other provisions dealt with foul brood, and the treatment of diseased hives.

The Hon Mr Anstey said he had 'failed to discover by enquiry what was foul fjrood. He pointed out the futility of clause 3, providing that a bee-keeper shall, within seven days after becoming aware of bee-disease, notify the Secretary for Agriculture and Inspector of I Stock, inasmuch as bee-keepers would take care not to become aware of disease. The powers given inspectors wove too wide. With regard to the compulsory use of bar frame hives, they ought to be certain these were obtainable at a price to meet persons of small means before insisting upon the provision. Hon. Mr Baldey thought frame hives essential to the prevention of disease iu bees.

Hon. T. Kelly thought the provision of bar frames ought to Be enforced in moderation.

Hon. Mr MeCardle supported the Bill.

Hon. Mr Jones drew attention to certain apparent defects in the drafting of the Bill. Tho Attorney-General said if the Bill was passed it would afford some measure of protection which was its sole object. ' '•.r,Ts|y^ The second reading was agreed to.'

The Attorney-Genera 1 moved the! second reading of the Maori Laud Settlement Act, from the nouse. enabling the Treasurer to raise a sum of £50,000 to he expended in' the purchase of hind in accordance with the Act of 1905. also to give power to acquire any undivided interest in Muori-ownrd lauds.

Hon. Wi Pere complained that the Bill did not expliiu the class of lands which the Government sought power to acquire.

The Hon. Mr MeCardle. in supporting; tb!» Bill, said he was only sorry the sum | asked for was not in accordance with the importance of the subject. Hej could not too strongly emphasis? thej importance of the Government acquiring the vast tracts of native lands, leaving sufficient for the use of the r.a----t lives. If this were done, and the rej commendation of the Native Lands Conimisssion adopted, it would bo found invaluable. Committees would be established who would work hand in hand for the benefit of Europeans and natives alike-

The Hon. Mr Samuel strongly urged the acquisition of native lands for settlement, after reserving sufficient for the purposes of the natives.

The Hon. Mr Loughnan supported the Bill. -^"?"!^ The Hon. Mr Ormond expressed disappointment that the amount proposed! to be borrowed was already allocated. Unless waste lands held by Maoris were acquried by the Government, settlement would be indefinitely potponed. Dr. Findlay having replied, the second reading was agreed to and the Council rose at 4.5.

HOUSE OF REPESENTATIVES. The. House met at 2.30. The Wellington City Empowering Bill was read a third time, and passed. The Petonc Water Supply Conservation Bill was reported with 'amendments made in Committee and agreed to. The Waitara Harbor District and Empowering Bill passed all its stages. The Gore Streets Bill was reported wit!" amendments made in Committee and agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time and passed. The Taranaki Botanic Garden Act Amendment was read a second time. THE TARIFF. The Hon. Mr Millar moved the second reading of the Tariff Bill.

Mr Massey said ho was not quite satisfied with the present tariff. .W they had departed from the practice' previously adopted, he had hoped the 'Government would hive placed [lie whole of the raw materials required in | the. colony's industries on the free lisl. tic had always thought the colony's taxation should he based on lines that

iH classes should pay a fair share, hut this had been departed from, notably in that on the tax on boots, where the

heaviest tax was placed on the cheapest boots, and the tax reduced as values increased. He deprecated a tax being' placed on machinery required in ind'i"-!

:ries, and regretted" that the Govern-

ment had differentiated between machinery required for industries and machinery for motor cars, and he flunked members of the House who carried an

amendment the previous night lo place! motor car machinery on the same basis' iis other machinery, Referring to clause 1

20. he said its effect was that persons' who imported goods through indent agents would be penalised, as it was intended to add indent agents' commission to the cost of the article, and levy

dnty on the total tints arrived at. ' 1 The Tlon Mr Millar said the principle I adopted bad been to place as far ns possible all raw material on the free list. : remove the duty on foodstuffs, and remove anomalies. Ire contended that the consequence of the duty on cheap' boots would be to remove shoddy and rubbish from the colony's market, and importers would import a belter article, and wearers would get the bene-

fit. He defended the fiovernment's sic-

tion in imposing a duty on boilers rej quired for dairying purposes, on the

ground that it was not purely a dairying implement, boilers being required lln almost every industry. One result of the new tariff was that a Sydney manufacturing firm was about to establish new works in Wellington or Auekland that would give employment lo 300 hands. He maintained that as J population increased by this and similar I means the colony would consume the whole or the butter and other foodstuffs produced here.

The second reading was agreed to,'

and the House went into Committee on the Bill. In reply to a question, the Premier said Now Zealand was giving to England a great deal more than was given to other countries under the tariff. Ho was satisfied, he added, that when the tariff was passed, Canada would be propared to consider a reciprocal treaty. At clause 1.5, which provides that newspaper proprietors who have entered into a contract for the supply of paper for a period of not exceeding three years, shall be exempt from "duly imposed under the schedule of the Act, provided that the paper is imported and entered for home consumption on or before the last c'iv of December, 1908. i Mr Mnssoy said it was a piece of I class legislation, and urged that the ] clause should lie struck out, as small . newspaper proprietors who purch'.S"d i paper locally had to pay the increased ll dulv. Tie added that importers who imported paper for supplying the Bill:1- f lei- newspapers were not being benefit- i led by tho clause. Further, such ex- I emplion was not accorded importers of < any other class of goods where import- ' evs had made contracts.

Mr Millar explained flint the provisions of the clause wore intended io I carry out to the fullest extent the provision.; of the Act of 1903. Mr Aitken contended that under the Act of 1903, the period of exempli in expired at ihe end of 1900. TTo urged lint the clause should be altered io operate to the end of 1907 only. Mr ,Tas. A'len urged that it slio-ild terminate at Ihe end of August, 1007. j

Mr Millar said there was no doubt the intention of the Legislature was that the exemption in the 1903 Act wis to cease in 1900. but owing to the wording of Ihe clause it applied to three years' supply. Consequently, any contract's that had been entered into had to be safeguarded. The provisions cf the new clause, however, provided for a definite time when this exemption must | cease.

Mr Okey said the clause gave undue preference to the larger newspapers. He suggested that paper for all newspaper proprietors should lie exempted during the period provided under the clause.

Kventually the Minister consented to amend .the clause to operate until Hie 31st December. 1907, and the amendment was agreed to. The House adjourned at 5.30.

EVENING SITTING, The House resumed at 7.30.

At clause 19, which provides that when in the opinion of the Collector of Customs it is necessary to. analyse any article for the purpose of ascertaining what duty it is liable to piy, the -lr.v for analysis shall be such as the Minister of Customs may direct and shall be paid by importers. Mr Aitken urged that the cost, cr half of the cost of analysis, should be paid by the Cnstome Department.

Mr Millar said the clause would not affect honest importers, but was intended to operate against importers who were reasonably suspected of systematically importing articles wrongly described.

The clause was agreed to unaltered. At clause 21, which provides that die Minister of Customs may classify any medicinal preparation or article claimed to be such, under any other he.'.ding of the tarilf, if in his judgment such preparation can be easily rendered fit for use as a beverage, flavoring essence, j toilet prepiration, perfumed spirit, or as an article or spirituous ingredient in an article subject to a higher rate of duty than medicinal preparation, ,m amendment was made to bring medicated infants food within the clause.

The amendment was agreed to, and I the clause passed. Mr Guinness proposed a new clause to provide for the prohibition of ornaments of glass and other articles, in imitation of New Zealand greenstone, , from entering into New Zealand, and in the event of any such articles reaching the colony to be forfeited. He pointed out that an article called "naw greenstone," manufactured in Germany, was being largely imported and competing with native greenstone. Mr Millar slid Mr Guinness was mistaken regarding the country of manufacture of this article. Now greenstone was made in Birmingham, and on the cirds to which the new greenstone was attached were inscribed words showing it was imitation and not the real article. He had no obiection to the clause.

Mr Han in maintained that "new greenstone" did compete with the real article. He .added that the cards bore New Zealand emblems, kiwis, etc., to deceive purchasers into the belief tli.it thev were the genuine article.

Mr Flatuinn said many people could not afford to purchase genuine greenstone, and this particularly referred io children. On that account he hoped lln> clause would not he included. Mr T. Mackenzie argued that if they prohibited imitation greenstone, 'he value of the real article would depreciate.

The Premier hoped Mr Guinness would not press the new clause, as, if carried, it should be applied to all imitations and spurious arlices. Tfe thougat the dealings with these imitations should he left to the discretion of Ihe Minister.

Mr Guinness said there had been petitions presented on tho subject. . rTc added that, greenstone was an industry of New Zealmd, and should he protected. The Minister had had power to deal with imitations for four years, but had done nothing. Mr Laurenson, whilst agreeing with the views put forth by Mr Guinness. , thought it inadvisable to include such a clause in the Customs Bill. The Minister had power, under clause 07 of Ihe Act of 1902, by order of the Governor-in-Council, to prohibit the importathn of this article, and ft would be better if the Minister who now knew the feeling of the House .adopted such an order. The amendment was carried on the Chairman's casting vote. On the division that the clause stand part of the Bill the voting was—Ayes 31, Noes 33. The clause was struck out. Mr Guinness moved a further clause, that all packing cases or boxes used for importing goods or articles upon which duty is payable shall be admitted duty free.

Mr Millar said the revenue now received from this source was £14,000. On this account he opposed the amendment. The whole matter had been carefully gone into. The Premier said that if the duty was taken oft' packing cases, the duty would have to be placed on some other article to make up the £14.000. He asked members what article it was proposed to substitute for packing cases. I Mr Massey said if the Government was going to use its majority to prevent reductions being made, or any amendment made in a Bill, the sonne'r Parliament went home and left the Government to manage the affairs of the colony the better for all concerned. The Premier said the Government knew its responsibilities, and accepted them. The Government was responsible for the tariff am! the finances of the colony, and not {]:■• ! leader of the Opposition. Supposing this proposal and other reductions were carried, it would be the duty of the Government to withdraw tin; tariff. If the Govornnfeht found that it was being carried into an unsafe position it would not accept (he ■; position even if brought about by its j friends. The proposed reduction would 'jiiol benefit the'consumer In any way. l | The scconil_jeading of the proposed -jnew clauses was negatived by 51 to 14. The Commit! ee then proceeded to consider Schedule Aof the Bill. First item, food and articles for human consumption.

Mr Ailkcn moved that the duty on fish, potted and preserved, be reduced from 2d to l'/U per lb. This was negatived bv 45 to 22.

Progress was reported and the Houae adjounioit at midnight.