THE TARIFF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 6 September 1907, Page 3

THE TARIFF.

PROGRESS OF THE BILL. Per Press Association. Wellington, September 4. After disposing of other business, the House went into committee to consider 'the Tariff Bill. I CARTRIDGES. ! At class 12, manufactures of metal, Mr Gray moved that on shot cartridges, ten to twenty-four bore, the duty should be reduced lroni 2s (id to Is Gd per hundred.

I tile Hon. Mr Millar, opposing the ■amendment, said half-a-dozen other J manufactures would begin operations |if the duty were imposed. He added that the Colonial Ammunition Company undertook to keep in the colony sufficient ammunition for tho requirements of the defence forces. He said last year .5,(i01,<K10 shot cartridges were imported 'and 10,140,000 ball cartridges. lie thought the whole of the latter should ;be manufactured in the colony. The amendment was negatived by 43 to 23. | MINING MACHINERY, j Mr Herries moved that the duty of 5 I per cent ad valorem on mining malohinerv should be struck out to enable I mining' engines and machinery to be placed on tlie free list as they had been for years.

Mr .Millar said engines under this 'duty were made in the colony. Other j machinery for mining purposes that j could nut be manufactured in the colony was on the free list. He considered it was carrying things too far to suggest that the industry should be relieved ■altogether. He added tnat every other industry paid its share under the tariiff.

Mi;, Guiness- pointed out that every industry did not pay its share as the had said. Agricultural implements, for instance, were free. To I carry on the mining industry, ver machinery was required, and, [it they put a duty on that machinery, i they penalised those who were developing tlie mineral resources of the counjtiy.

The Premier urged that the duty should be returned. Last year, he said £40,0i10 worth of mining machinery was imported, and the amount of duty charged to mining last year was £3BO. If the same amount were imported this year, more than half of it would be on the free and at the outside about ?:20,U0U would be subjected to an impost of 5 per cent., which wQuhl give a duty of £IOOO a year. This would not be paid by the miners but by those who controlled the industry. This Government was giving away £IOO,OOO an amount that no other Government had done before.

ilr Massey said it was quite true the Government was remitting taxation, but apart from sugar, he believed the Government was deriving more from increased taxation on other articles. The two industries that were proposed to be taxed —agricultural and pastoral industry and the mining industry—were what the prosperity of uie country depended on. lie hoped a large majority of the House would support amendments in tiie direction of reducing the taxation on these industries.

The amendment was carried by 32 to 30. OIL-BORING MACHINERY. Mr Major moved an amendment to place oil-refining and oil-boring machinery on the free list. Mr Mn.ar opposed the proposal. They had, he said, put casing on the free list. If Air Major's proposal was carried he should ask the House to take the duty off oil.

Mr Okey said they would welcome such a proposal, so that they could bring machinery in free and prove, if possible, that oil existed in payable quantities. The amendment was negatived by 40 to 20. ENGINE BOILERS. Mr Guinness moved to reduce the duty on boilers for steam engines from 20 per cent to 5 per cent. Mr Millar said any class of boiler could be made in the colony.

Mr llerries said local boilers had been used in dairy and mining industries as well as imported boilers. Mr Massey said it was all very well to say the duty was to assist to build up the boiler-making industry, but it. would do so at the expense of another industry which was being carried on under conditions of great hardship—the dairy industry. He hoped the amendment would be carried.

Mr Major urged that it would be belter for workers to take to the dairy industry than to engage in an industry which required bolstering up.

The Premier said that the duty Oil boilers, if agreed to, would mean the payment of about £2OO per annum by the dairying iiilustry. Remissions affecting the industry had been made to I the extent of about £BOOO per annum. He was at a loss to understand whether the concessions made were appreciated. He was disposed to thinK they were not. and lie much doubted under the circumstances whether the Government was justified in going on with the tariff at lull. ii some lion, members imagined | that the Government did not understand what had taken place they were i mistaken.

Mr Greenslade: We told the whips about it.

Continuing, the Premier said it was quite evident if a section of the Government's own party entered into an alliance with a section of the Opposition 1 to change the duties provided for in regard to particular items on the tariff, they would bring about a position which the Ministry could not acquiesce in. if the Government was to be treated in this manner, he thought most members would agree that, to put it mildly, it wan grossly unfair He though the Ministry ought to know where they were. Where a leadiug Opposition member moved a reduction on a certain item and was supported by members of tho Government party in consequence of some arrangement comcJ;o, a uirfulr position, arose. "He declared he did lv;t- Ifitond to be placed in such a position. lie indicated that an arrangement hail beep come to by certain members to vote for the abolition of the duty on mining machinery in consideration of a similar vote being cast in respect to dairying machinery. He suggested to Mr. Millar to report progress and adjourn.

Mr. Millar accordingly moved to report progress. : Mr. Massey said he did not know that : the Premier had shown good taste in | making the remarks he had uttered. If thy Premier's remarks meant anything, it was a pure and simple throat that, if his own people did not support him better than they had done during the last two or three divisions, he would drop the tariiF. That was, he urged, a most improper position to take up. He

had been told by Mr. Kidd that he (Mr. Ma>sey) could not expect to be supported by a majority in connection with the tariff proposals. After further discussion progress was |reported, and th ; > House adjourned.