PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 13 September 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. . WEDNESDAY'S SITTING. Wellington, Thursday. After midnight Mr. Aitken urged that the Minister should give consideration to the duty on brushes, with a view to granting a reduction on painters' tools, which, lie contended, were not being manufactured in the colony. Mr. Millar said excellent paint-brushes were being made in the colony, but they were not so highly finished as those imported. If, however, this protection was granted, colonial manufacturers would import the latest machinery for the purpose and would turn out a highlyiinished article. Mr. Aitken moved an amendment to make the 25 per cent, duly apply only to whitewash, paperhangers' paste, limcI wash, tar, and glue, brushes. 1 1 This was negatived by 33 to 27. Schedule A was thus made complete. '• I Progress was reported, and the House 1 rose at 1.40 a.m.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Per Press Association. Welington, Last Night. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Police Offences Act Amendment Kill, passed by the House, for the better control of boxing contests. —Carried. INFANT LIFE PROTECTION. The lion. Mr. Jones resumed the de-

bate on Dr. Collins' motion respecting the preservation of infant life, and dealt with the various sociological phases of the question. There should be proper inspection of homes and milk. He was opposed to the barrack system of treating children, ub home life, was essential, lie contended that something ought to bi! done for workers who got nothing from the State but the right to live. He suggested the State should donate a sum of money to each child born of parents receiving a bare living wage. The money should be put in the Savings Bank for the benefit of the child. He admitted the whole question was full of difficulties, but there, should be ways to overcome them. Dr. Collins, replying, expressed appreciation of the way in which the subject had been taken up by the Council and the Press of the colony. He said he would like to see homes placed under the Inspector-General of Hospitals, and medical men appointed to them. At present medical men called in had no certainty of being, paid, and that was not a right position. Registration was necessary much earlier than was at present demanded, and in the cities should

be within three days. If it. were possible to prevent unsuitable marriages, the evils, would be mitigated. He thought it might be possible to have a certificate of health issued to people about to marry. Although this would not prevent marriages, it would let each of the parties know the condition of health of the other. He did not agree with the suggestion to sterilise milk except in hot weather, because there was something in milk which was destroyed by sterilisation. It was essential however,'to see that milk came from healthy cows and was retained in a state of purity until consumed. The motion was carried. The Rotorua Town Bill was reported from committee with verbal amendments. The Council rose at 5.15 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE TARIFF BILL. The House met at 2.30 and went into committee on the Xarili' Bill. At schedule B, taken at class 4, tea in bulk, viz., in packages of slbj or over, net weight in tea—Mr James Allen moved to substitute lib for 51b, After a lengthy discussion in Committee oi Ways and Means, the amendment was negatived by 40 to 24. Mr Mitssey moved an amendment to place ■insecticides on the free list. He said these were required for the purpose of keeping down pests, and had hitherto been on the free list. j Mr Millar said the whole of the drugs required for the manufacture of insecticides were now on the free list,, and ho was assured effective insecticides could be manufactured in the colony equal to any imported. Mr Massey said he had been approached ■by numbers of orchardists, who pointed out that the 'duty of 20 per cent would be a serious handicap to them in keeping their orchards tree from pests. Mr Barber, in supporting the amendment, urged that the Government should manufacture insecticides ami fungicides and distribute them at cost price. He suggested that Mr Massey should include fungicides in the amendment. Mr Millar said if the amendment were drafted to confine itself to insecticides for agricultural and horticultural uses, he would accept it. Mr Massey subsequently altered the amendment to read "'insecticides for agricultural and horticultural uses or tree washes," and Mr Millar accepted the amendment, which was addod to the schedule. Mr Lang moved an amendment' to place tanners' inks or stains on tITe free list, ! . I": | I!) Mr Millar accepted the amerfdmeiit, which was agreed to. Mr Millar moved an amendment to place on tho free list pictures, statuary, and works of art, whether purchased under bond or Idircctly imported, for display in any public park or place under conditions prescribed by Bio Minister.

I Tlio amendment was agreed to. ! Mr. Miliar movod an amendment to place slides for magic lanterns on {ho free, list, which was agreed to. _ At class 12, agricultural machines and implements, not otherwise enumerated Mr Witty urged flkjt the Minister would make it plain that parts of reapers and fblnflers and mowing machines should he imported free, as the expense was not m the machines themselves, hut in the renewal of parts. Mr Buddo moved an amendment to place on the free list all the parts necessary for repairs. Mr Massey, as a prior amendment, moved to place all ,„achines and implefree list. This, he said, was in accordanec w ,th the provisions of the old

Mr Miliar, m opposing fte amendmont said hundreds of pounds hat! been lost to revenue through machines and apphances heing imported as agricultural machines which were not strict!? so hut were used by farmers for general purposes His object was to admit free all machines used solely for agricultural purposes. ° Mr Massey urge;,! tint the intention of the Act of 1000 should lie adhered to. He pointed out that unller the present framing of tho clause, the definition of what was agricultural machinery rested solely with tile Minister of Customs This should not he, but should be clearly defined by law. The amendment was negatived" bv 43 to 25.

llic Minister moved an amendment to include parts required for repairs on the free list. This was agreed to, and the House adjournal at 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr. Millar moved an amendment to place additional bicycle fittings (not on the list), in order to embrace nil parts of a bicycle, on the free list. By this, he contended, the building and construction of bicycles in the colony was being encouraged, The amendment was agreed to.

At the item, brass or metal tubing and stamped work in the rough, Mr. James Allen moved that the words "in ■the rough" be struck out. He contended that bedstead manufacturers would import the finished article In any ease, as it would be cheaper than having the finishing done locally. The amendment was negatived bv 42 to 10.

At the _ item, machinery, viz., dairying machinery (including cream separating machines, also coolers), Mr. Massey moved to add the words "milking machines and all parts therefor." Mr. Duncan asked if it was intended to tax vacuum pumps if they came in attached to dairying machines. Mr. Millar said vacuum pumps were used for u variety of purposes, and if a farmer chose to import a machine and pump together he must pay duty on ihe pump. The amendment was negatived bv 33 to 32. An amendment by Mr. Mander to place a patent automatic cream separator on the free list was opposed by Mr. Millar, who contended that the particular article referred to was not a

separator.. The amendment was lost by 41. to 20. Mr. Laurenson suggested that machinery for manufacturing cocoa and chocolate be admitted free. Mr. Millar said he was unable to accede to the suggestion, as be considered that all industries should contribute something towards the revenue, Reply- '. ing to Mr. Herrics, Mr. .Millar said parts of machines for mining, if imported with a machine, would be free, but subsequent parts would be subject to the tax. Mr, Guinness, in moving that engines and machines for mining purposes be placed on the free list, said he did so in order to give effect to the expression of a majority of the members of the House who, by 32 votes to 30, struck I this item out of the 5 per cent. list. I Mr. Millar said the particular machinery was made in the colony, and he I urged that the object of the Government was to nlace all machinery, ex-

cepting agricultural machinery, on the 5 per cent, list, but last week the committee by its vote, placed mining machinery on the 20 per cent. list. He thought the best thing the committee could do to-night was to put machinery

back to the position it was placed in under the Government proposal—namely, 5 per cent. Mr. A. L. Fraser complained that Mr. Guinness had adopted a parochial attitude which was to be regretted, but he contended that they, as members, were not present simply to represent their own electorates, and the sooner they realised that they were there to represent the interests of the whole colony the better it would be for the country.

Mr. Guinness denied that his attitude! was parochial. His action was in the interests of upwards of ten thousand, | and he contended that the tax on minI ing machinery would prevent the employment of capital for the development of the country's resources. He was I advocating the remission "Of the tax for I all concerned, and not merely for capiI talistie companies, as stated by the member for Napier. He pointed out I that much eapital was sunk in mining

without deriving any. benefit, adding, the prizes are few and the blanks many. The Premier hoped it would not have been necessary for him to have to speak again on the subject. Assuming there were fifteen thousand miners in the country, did any of them, he asked, pay this duty? From the returns of Customs based on last year's imports, the total amount derived from mining and dairy machinery would be at the outside £IOOO, and what would that be among fifteen thousand. He contended that the tax would not affect miners' wages to the extent of a penny piece, and the only persons who would benefit from the reduction would be syndicates and companies. The remission of the tax would not benefit the miners, but would seriously affect workers employed

iii the foundries of the colony. He pointed out that the resolution carried last week placed these items on the 20 per cent, list, and miners would realise that the Government were their friends, and'it would rest with the Government to put it back on the 5 per cent, list, as he was convinced this amendment would not be carried. Mr. Poland urged that the Government should allow the House to exereisc its privileges by allowing mining machinery, as proposed, to be placed on the free list. Mr. Remington said he could see no reason for imposing a 5 per cent, duty on an industry which had hitherto been encouraged by having its machinery admitted free. He considered this only the thin end of the wedge, and next time it would probably be 10. He intended to vote for the amendment. Mr. Mills said no industry had more of a national aspect than mining, and no industry had done more for the colony since the earliest days. He in

tended to support the amendment. The amendment was negatived by 34 to 22. The following was the division list: - Ayes (22): Aitken, Alison, J. Allen, Bollard, Colvin, Duncan, W. Fraser, Guhness, Herries, Lang, Lethbridge, Lewis, T. Mackenzie, Malcolm, Marnier, Massey,' Mills, Okcy, Poland, Reid, Remington, Scddon. Noes (34): E. G. Allen, Arnold, Earlier, Buddo, Ell, Fisher, Flatman, Fowlds, A. L. D. Fraser, Graham, Gray, Hall, Hanan, Hogan, Hogg, Houston, I Izard, Kidd, Laurenson, Lawry, McXao, McGowan, McLaehlan, Millar, Parati, Poole, Sidey, Stallworthy, Steward, Tanner, Thomson, Ward, Witty, Wood. I'aivs: For the amendment Dillon, Bennett, Ross, Greensladc, Field, MacPherson; against the amendment—Bar-' clay, Ngata, Carroll, Davey, Wilfor.l, .Stevens. Mr. Millar moved to place gas and electric meters for household supply purposes, water meters and testing sets, on the free list.—Agreed to. Ho also moved to place motor engines for bicycles on the free list.— Agreed to. Mr. Lang moved that spray pumps, which pay 10 per cent., be placed on the free list as a natural corollary to making insecticides free. After some discussion, Mr. Millar agreed to add to the free list spray pumps not being syringes. At the item, chassis for motor cars or motor busses, Mr. Millar moved to strife out the words "motor cars or motor busses," with a view to inserting "vehicles." This would make the application general.—Agreed to. Mr. Ilanan asked the Minister to explain why motor cars were not placed on the preferential list as formerly, seeing that some of the largest motor manufacturing works were in Great Britain and Canada. Mr. Millar said there were some 583 manufacturers of motor cars, of which 240 were English, 107 French, and the rest were American, Canadian, and German. It was ascertained that one firm imported largely from American firms into England, and it was apparent; that the bulk of the cars imported into England were controlled by that firm. At 11.30 the free list was passed, and the committee proceeded to deal with the preferential list.