PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 12 September 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY'S SITTING. Per Press Association. After midnight, Sir W. Stewards amendment was negatived by 42 votes to 22. Ill' Arnold moved an amendment to, delete cast-iron pipes, 3ft and upwartby in diameter, to be used for sewerage purposes, from the 20 per cent list.— Negatived by 44 votes to 20. At the item, "Machinery not otterwise enumerated, 20 per cent," Mr A. L. D. Eraser said this included all machinery used in making gas. He movedthat the duty on this class of machinery should /tie reduced to 10 per cent. Mr Millar said lie would put g-,s meters on the free list. The amenduicut was then negatived on the voices. Progress was reported and the lious. I adjourned at 1 a.m, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1L < , LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I The Council met at 2.30. The Gore Streets Hill, Wellington City Empowering Bill, and the Borough of New Plymouth Electric Loan and Waterworks Loan Dill were reported froui) Committee Leave of absence was granted the' Hon. Mr Marshall and the Hon. Mr George on account of illness. ' The Council rose at 3 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. The Dunedin and Suburban Gns Co. Empowering Bill was read a third time and passed. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, Ministers suited a short Bill amending the Government Advances to Settlers' Act has been prepared, which will help to obviate any unavoidable delay in advancing cash'for authorised loans; that no bank in New| Zealand' is under the~Conipanies' Act, and therefore cannot be compelled, without legislation, to disclose for the information of the public, the names of the shareholders; tlie Government do not propose to introduce banking legislation this sesiou; the question of

amending the Advances to Workers Act to enable losses of land held under a mining title to obtain advances for the purposes of erecting residences is under | consideration; that steps will he taken to obtain all available information on the subject of oiling roads; that there is no indication at present that Mr Dinnie has any intention of relinquishing nis position as Commissioner of Police and until there is some likelihood of a vacancy occurring, it «loes no t appear necessary to consider the question of appointing a successor; that the Public Works Department will be classified in common with other Departments of the service that have not been dealt with in any general scheme of classification that may be decked upon; that tie question as to reform in the hospital and charitable aid system is receiving

the consideration of the Government, and it is hoped a new Hospitals and I Charitable Institutions Bin will be introduced next session. The Land and Income Assessment Bill was reported from the Public Accounts Committee.

1 THE ITINERARY. In reply to Mr Massey, the Premier state*!' that as soon as the Tariff Bill was put through the Land and Income Assessment Bill would be proceeded with, to be followed by the Land 'Bill Endowment Kill, and Native Lands Bill. THE TARIFF BILL. The House went into committee on the Tariff BUI. Mr Mauder urged that the duty should be taken off ironbark bridge timber. Mr Ell said a lot of timber for use in bridges and pile work had to bo imported, as the colony did not produce it, and he hoped the Minister would be a « ° i. to Bee hia way to take the dut V off this class of timber. Totara wa's getting exceedingly scarce.yet it was being used for telegraph poles and piles. He contended that totara, which was exceedingly brittle, was not suitable for telegraph poles, but was admirably adapted for use inside houses, particularly for window sashes. He maintained it was a national waste to use totira for piles and telegraph poles. Mr Jennings was opposed to admitting ironhart and jarrah free. Mr Millar said the CoiminomvcaWi was closing its doors to everything From New Zealand, and lie failed'to see why timber from Australia should be admitted free to compete with hundreds of workers m the timber industry of New Zealand. Mr Buddo said it would be 1 suicidal policy to take the duty oil' Australian hardwoods at the present time. Mr Barber said there was somefhin" wrong when jarrah timber, paying a duty of 2s per hundred feet, could" be landed in Wellington cheaner than totara and other New Zenknd timbers. The Premier said there were thouof men earning their living as timber procurers, and if Australian timber were admitted free it woulil seriously interfere with these work-men and millers and would tend to stagnation of the labor market. We were anxious to see a neighborly and brotherly feeling existing between Australia and Now Zealand. Until we knew of what the Federal tariff would ultimately consist.we could not discuss matters of a reciprocal treaty with Australia, ,-flid it would not be fair to our timber-getters and timber millers to throw our doors open to a country which was_ erecting a high protective wall against other countries. Mr Okey moved a amendment to place c:ilf meal on the free list. Mr Millar said calf meal had been manufactured in the colony for many years. Ho opposed -the amendment, ■which was negatived by 39 to 30.