PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 4 September 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Per l'rcss Association. last uiglit. The Council met at 2.30. The Attorney-General moved that llic Council place on record its high sense of tho services rendered by the late Hon. Mr Johnston, and its expression of sympathy with the relatives. The Council rose at i p.m. out of respect to the memory of deceased. HOUSE OF . KEPESENTATIVES. The. House met at 2.30.

The Premier, rcferrig to the death of the lion. \V. Johnston, traced his connection with Parliament and eulogised his qualifications and services renderdd to the colony. Ho moved that the House records its rogret at the death of the Hon. Mr Johnston, and pla2cs on record its high sense of the faithful services rendered to the colony by deceased and the loss the country sustained by his death, and that the House, expresses its sympathy with deceased's relatives.

Mr Mißscy and Mr Stevens also spoke in eulogistic terms of deceased. The House adjourned at 3.30 until 7.30.

THE TARIFF BILL. The House resumed at 7.30, and went into Committee on the Tariff Bill. Mr Millar said he desired to amend ttie item ''Boots, etc., Is lid a pair and lo per cent, ad valorem," so that it would not take ell'ect until after the 31st October, 11)07. She amendment was agreed to. Class 8, furniture and household furnishing "mis agreed to unaltered. At Class 0, china, 'glass and earthen goods, Mr Aitken urged that preference should be given to British manufactured glass.

Mr Millar said the reason preference was not given British-made glass was due to the fact that a combination existed in England, and it was impossible to procure glass except from one firm, Pilkington's, and it was represented to him that Pilkington's were putting up tho price in consequence of the preference which has existed. Mr Aitkcn said tho cauße of the British combination was for self-protection against American, Belgian, and German glass. Mr Harding said Belgian glass was much cheaper than British. Ho urged that preference should be Jgiven British manufacturers. Ho assorted that Ihe glass of Britisli make was cheaper now than over before. Mr Millar said he would consider the question when dealing with the preferential tariff. Mr Barber said wo were not keeping faith with the utterances of the Premier when in England, as we are reducing tho duty on glass to foreigners by 3s per hundred feet and to English) manufacturers only 2s. The Premier said he had never made a statement that would support any English syndicate which ' would have a monopoly of the glass trade in Nr,v Zealand, and penalise tho people by reason of the extra cost tliat would be made in erection of buildings. The momoer for Newtown, he added, had taken no notice of the amount of preference that had been granted British manufacturers when making his deductions. Class j) was agreed to unal-

tered. At Class 10, the item fancy goods and toys, also sporting, Raining and' athletic requisites not otherwise -numerated, including billiard tables and billiard requisites, hair and toilet combs 20 per cent., Mr Massey asked what was the Minister's reason for reducing billiard tables from 25 to 20 per cent. Mr Millar explained that billiard tablcß had previously entered under various headings, fancy goods, cloth, slate, etc. Billiard tables also came in as dining tables, and it was desired to bring J>il<liard tables under one heading. Mr Hardy pleaded for cheap toys. Mr Heko urged that playing cards should be prohibited, so that local industry could benefit. Mr Fisher urged that as greenstone could only be cut and polished in Germany, unmounted groenstonc should be allowed in free so as to benefit jewellers who could mount the stones here.

Mr Millar said the suggestion would defeat the object of the duty. There were a. number of greenstone cutters in the colony; in fact, all the greenstone ornaments presented to the Duke of York were locally cut and mounted. If jewellers desired to send their green stone to Germany to be cut and polished, then they must be prepared to pay duty on its return. Mr Scddon said representative jewel lers who had waited on the Ministei had stated that local cutters were onli able to make two designs, heart :>.m bar. Further, thoy were very erudi and wasteful in their work, ' whcrjai the cutters in Birmingham and Gei (many, having done this class of wori for years, were able to finish the n tides without undue waste. He m-"ci that unmounted greenstone should "h allowed in free. Mr Millar said the duty would not ii any way interfere with the export o greenstone, but he was opposed to ?d mittiiig unmounted greenstone flntfree. The stone was got in the colon) and there wero men capable of cutting it, so he did not see why it should b admitted free. Mr Fisher urged that unmountu stone be admitted at 20 per cent., to a higher duty placed on mounted stones Mr Millar, quoting a local jewelle who had appealed for the removal o t/ie duty, said the head office of *hi firm was in Germany, and he sent hi stone there to be cut and polished. Mr Seddon moved an amendment ti place unmounted greenstone on thef.e list. This was negatived by 38 to2(i. Mr Aitkon urged that magic hmtc-n should be -placed on the free list, a they were used for educational mi poses. '

Mr Wilford said tfiat as films Mr cinematographs were on the free list ho considered that slides for maWe lanterns should also be admitted free. Ho moved an amendment to exclude mniie lantern slides from the 20 per cent duty with a view to being placed on the free list. When under discussion, Mr Millar accepted the amendment, which was agreed to.

Mr Mandor moved an amendment to place sensitized postcards on the free list. Negatived by 4(5 to 17. _ Mr Hardy moved to omit the following paragraph from pictures, painting etc., s>o per cent.: "Note-any pjintinv drawing or photograph in anv medium having a value for duty exceeding Co shall bo assessed for duty at .-65 plus the value of the frame and mounting if any, and plus the value of the canvas or other material upon which such pamtmg, drawing or photograph i s made." Ho said the Minister was taxing the poor man's boots, but was allowing the wealthy man's pictures in practically free under this provision. Mr Tanner supported the amendment which was accepted by Mr Millar and agreed to on the voices.

Mr Masscy urged that preference be granted watches of British manufacture.

Watches, 20 per cent., was agreed to unaltered.

At paper hangings, which are at ]■> per cent, until tho end of the vear ami thereafter free, Mr Aitkon said these paper hangings could be purchased as cheap here as in tho Old Country, ard ho did not think exemption froni dutv would in any way lessen the cost oMie erection of any building. He moved to retain the duty. Negatived by 50 to The House then rose.