PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 11 September 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10. . HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Per Press Association. 4 Wellington, Last Night. The House met at 2.30. Mr Arnold moved the adoption of the Select Committee's report on the Dunedin ■mi Suburban Gas Company Empowering Bill, whieli was agreed to. THE TARIFF. The House went into committee on the Tariff Bill. The amendment to place boilers or

parts for steam engines for mining, in- ] eluding gold dredging or gold-saving ' purposes and processes or for dairying ' purposes on the 5 per cent list was ' further debated. The Hon. Mr Millar i reitori'lted his previous remark that 2(1 ' per cent was placed on the boilers in I order to grant assistance to local boilermakers. He contended that these boilers could .lie made locally, and that whilst local hoilermakers were not fully engaged on large boilers, they could fill in time in making small boilers' for dairying purposes. He hoped tho Committee would not carry the amendment. Mr Hervies believed the boiler industry was prospering in the colony, but if it were in such a languishing position that it needed 20 per cent protection, the question was whether it was worth . retaining the industry. The Premier said the total duty paid on boilers for dairying purposes was £52 lfls, yet it was being claimed that tho dairying industry was being penalised ! and nothing being done for it. In regird to what was being done for the benefit of the inidustry, he need only say that the tax on imported butter was nearly £l4 per ton. The total ; duty paid on boilers imported for the j mining industry last year was £l3 15s, and yet it was claimed that the in- ! creased duty would seriously handicap the mining industry. He added that £BOOO per annujn. was being paiß' for the inspection of dairies. Mr Millar said the tax on the dairy industry under the new schedule, based on tho previous year's imports, would only be about £2OO. Mr Masscy said if there were a fluty ' of HO per cent on butter it would not nlfect the price of butter to the extent of a farthing per pound. ne contend- ' ed that the principle of tho tax proposed to be placed on the dairying and I mining industries was wrong,' as they ] were two of the principal industries of ; the colony. He added that the effect ; of the inspectors of the dairy industry; I would be to drive many men out of the . industry. I The Premier contended that the duty on butter, also on wheat, were originally placed for the purpose of protecting these industries. He believed that a leading representative of the dairy in.. dnstry had expressed himself as satislied with the duty placed on boilers. He added tint Government inspection of dairies was first proposed I>y a Mr Mnssey in the North. He /dirt not say it was the leader of the Opposition. Mr Hardy; There is only one Mr Massey. The Premier: Then it must have been he..

Mr Hornsby regretted Mr Masscy's r remarks on the expenditure for dairy 1 inspection. He (Mr Hornsby) reprc- , scnted a dairying .district, and could i say that Wairajrapa dairymen at any t rate welcomed the Minister's proposals, 5 which would greatly benefit the indus- - try. . I Mr Izard saijl dairymen themselves , approved of the tariff, and it was useless to talk against the proposal. He , could only endorse Mr Hornsby's re- ■ marks, that if inspection of dairies was i going to drive farmers out of the industry, then "let 'em go." I Mr Stevens said he still held to the i opinion that implements for dairy pur- - poses should be on the free list, but '■ after the concessions that had been : granted, amounting in some cases to SO ■ per cent on the original proposals, he i diti not think the farmers in Ids dec- > torate would take exception to a rea- ■ sonaible tax for the purposes of pro » tecting local industries. He urged that i 20 per cent more should be add((il to • the price paid by the Crown to owners ' of diseased cattle destroyed by order of I the Crown in the interests of the co- • lony. t Mr Guinness said what he objected! to, on behalf of the mining and dairy- ■ ing industries, was that an increased duty of 15 per cent hajd been imposed. Surely it could not bo argued that the increase was for the purpose ot protecting the boilcrm ij;ing industry when if was clearly shown by the Premier that the number of boileVs imported- were so few that tlie total duty ,| was £OO, and he could not say that' the duty was for revenue purposes, as the amount was so small. Mr Hanan said he could understand opposition to the tariff if it were going to cripple the mining or dairying indus°try, but it was not going to do this', and tor that reason he was going to support the tariff. ' Mr Reid said he thought the proper tlung to have done was to leave boilers on the 5 per cent list as previously. Mr Lewis said the effect of the fluty would be to impose on the dairyin" and mining industries an additional 15 per cent on all' boilers. Mr Duncan said there was a feeling among farmers and dairymen that this was the first attempt to exploit tlTem, and the result would be that a reaction would take place. The Premier said Mr Duncan must have shut his eyes to what the Government had (lone for dairymen and farmers. He asked bow it was that members representing dairying districts hid" not_ received any communications From their constituents opposing the Government s tariff proposals. He added that (the Government had ft o consider the workers and their families, who had not the advantage of being on the land, aitf to provide for these it was necessary to grant assistance to local industries by giving protection against imported articles. Mr Okoy said he could produce scores of telegrams from dairy factories in his e ectorate asking hi ra to vote against the ditty. He asserted there was no need for dairy inspection whilst they

wcro producing such a high class of (butter as the colony was exporting He added that farmers had not asked for a duty on butter, as they could do without it. In fact they could make I'iittcr at fourponco.half-pcnnv per lb, ankl he contended that not "a single pound of butter had been imported. ° The Premier pointed out that butter had been imported to the colony from Ireland and Australia, M» Fisher saild it seemed to him flint the mining and dairying industries had been fostered to an exceedingly high degree. Ho added that toilers could not be made as cheaply here as in England. The House adjourned at 5.30. EVENING SITTING. Tile House resumed at 7.30. Mr Homes contended that the extra duty on machinery, stationery, nnu" boots would equal the reductions'mnJTr and that the remissions which the Ui»J vernment had Imado so much of ivoulu [be ml. Ho urged that boilers should be admitted at 5 per cent, and he would support the amendment. Mr Mauder said the meagrcness of the _ revenue derived from boilers for mining and dairying purposes was evideuce that not much was being import- i ted in that line; consequently no in- I crease should have been made in the duty.

Air Hogg said he considered it was the duty of the Legislature to do what it could to foster young industries, and he contended that the iron industry was one that should bo supported. The mining and dairying machinery required,' consideration, as large quantities of machinery were used in these industries, and he considered that an increase from 5 per cent to 20 per cent was a lni"o jump. The people of country districts had not tho same opportunity of knowing what Parliament was ' doing as townspeople had, and he questioned iT miners and dairymen ltnew of what was being done. If the manufacturers in the colony ,could manufacture "boilers under a. small -duty, what was the use of increasing the duty by 15 per cent? Would it increase the workers' wages or would it simply increase the cost* of machinery to dairymen and miners? He felt that the duty proposed was somoI what excessive. Mr Millar said seventeen boilers were imported last year for dairy purposes, representing a cost of £lOl4, and It was far 'better that these should be made in the colony. He wisluyl to irmko it plain that dairying machinery ■was on the free list, and steam ongine3l ■

on the 5 per cont list. 'He added IKaC these boilers were imported fromi America, which did not take a single pound of the colony's butter. It was better that work should be provided for our own workmen rather than for foreigners. Mr Major contended there was nothingin the arguments put forth by the Government to justify the increase. Mr Poole said a difficulty arose in engineering shops in taking additional' youths owing to appliances being fully occupied. If they were not prepared to grant assistance to the engineering industry in order that it could find employment for more young men, then we wore drifting to a point when we should

h.wo a great excess of unskilled workers. For that reason he hoped that tho Committee would not carry the amendment. He considered the Minister ha\l taken a reasonable step in placing a duty on boilers which would allow.of local industry making tho colony's boilers. Mr Massey said under the old list all dairying machinery was free, whereas under the new tariff only coolers and separators would cope in under the free list. He added that owing to preferential tariff, the actual duty on American hoilors would be 25 per cent, an increase on the oljl tariff of 20 per cent. He contended that there was absolutely no protection to the dairy industry, r.s butter had to compete in the open market with butter manufactured in countries nearer to England" and. countries which bad cheaper laftor than New Zealand.

Mr Jennings said town members had no conception of the conditions under which dairymen labored. In the dairy (districts, men, women and children | worked seven days a week, and frequently during tho heavy season, the men worked 16 and 17 hours per flay. [Ho considered that every concession should bo granted the dairy industry, and he was going to vote for tho ahoiTtion of the duty on dairying machinery every time. On a division, the amendment was negatived by 36 to 26. Mr Jas. Allen moved an amendment; to reduce the duty on electrical mach-i inory and appliances from 10 to 5 per cent. He urged that electrical machinery should be placcyl on the same basis as other machinery. The Minister might say there was one firm in the colony which made electric motors, but he contended that large electric motors could only be profitably made in establishments where there were large staffs. The Minister said electrical machinery was on the same list as if had been for years, and if, as suggested by Mr Allen, it was displacing other machinery, that was good reason why the duty "should" (bo retained. He added that copper wire, anjd vulcanite, which were largely used in collection with electrical machinery, were now on the free list .though pre-' viously thoy had paid duty. Mr Fisher urged that electrical meters should be admitted free, as thoy could not be |roa)de in the colony. He was informed that 600 or 700 would be. required annually, and these would have to be imported at a cost of £4 Is each.

Mr Millar said ho would enquire into the case of electric motors, and at a later stage it might be expedient to place them on the free list, but ho did not care to accept any amendment at this stage. The amendment was negatived by 42 to 23. Mr Fisher moved that electrical machinery for local bodies lie admitted at 5 per cent. Mr Barber pointed out .that electric tram systems had been installed by various local bodies in the large cities, and if this concession were granted, smaller local bodies might instal electric systems. The aftnenjclmcnt was negatived iby 33 to 28. ; !ih;wj Mr. Barber asked the Minister to place a specific duty on bicycles instead of 20 per cent. Mr. Millar said he had fully discussed the matter of a specific duty with representatives of the cycle trade in the colony, and had informed them he could not agree to it. Both employees and manufacturers had expressed themselves as satisfied with what he proposed. Mr. Poole said steps should be taken to deal with spurious parts for machines, which were a menace to the public. He agreed with the Minister's proposals. Mr. Aitken urged that more protection should be granted local manufacturers. » Mr. Millar said that whilst £71,000 of complete bicycles were imported last year, £130,000 of parts were imported last year, of which £40,000 paid duty. In placing these parts on the free list, protection was being granted the cycle trade, which was already flourishing. Mr. Okey moved that billhooks be struck out of the 20 per cent. list. Negatived by 37 to 24. Sir W. ,7. Steward moved that cash registering machines be struck out of the 20 per cent. list. Mr. Millar said cash registers were not a necessity, but were used for the purpose of testing employees' honesty, and could easily stand the increased duty. Mr. T. Mackenzie said if the people making these machines desired to sell more in the colony they should drop their enormous profits.