PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DEALING WITH BILLS. J By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. ■This afternoon the Council went into committee on Bills. In the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Bill a new obtuse was added, on the motion of Hop. Sir .'. F. Bell, providing for interchange of duty paid on stocks of mineral oils for Bto*k of the same description included in dutyfree stock. ,' T-he Public Revenues Bill was pasatd without amendment. In the Marriage Amendment Bill, an amendment was added doing away, in the case of troopers, with the necessity of certificate of three days' residence in a particular district before marriage. The Bill, ?as amended, was read a second '.time,' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TOWN VERSUS COUNTRY. ', THE LAND TAX. . In the Lower House' this afternoon. Sir J. Ward laid on the table a comparative return showing the amounts paid by city men and country settlers under the graduated land and income tarf. He explained that the return had been compiled to show why the Budget did not apply the graduated land tax in the same degree to town as to country/lands. A discission, lasting the whole of the afternoon, followed, in which the question of t«wn versus country was very prominent.' Members generally agreed that whatever taxation tlhe Government asked for must be raised, but bho widest difference of opinion existed as to the most equitable method of rais'ng that money. The discussion was not hostile to the Government, but was intended to assist the Government in arriving at tho most equitable proposals. Mr. J. H. Escott said he accepted Hie graduated tax proposals, but opposed the tax on mineral oils. He objected to taxation amounting to $200,000 outlined in the Budget, and indicated sources from which the required revenue could be made up. Ho would increase the beer duty to sixpence per gallon, and that on spirits to 20s per gallon,, He did not think a tax oh tea would be objected to, and he fivored taxation of amusements. Mr. J. t. M. Hornsby hoped the experiment of a National Cabinet would be ' followed by proportional representation and an elective executive. The land tax proposals were quite inadequate, and the graduated tax was a farce. Ho favored heavier taxes on luxuries and on death dutieß, and regretted there wan no serious attempt to reduce the cost of ; , living. Mr. C. H. Poole thought expressions of opinion had fallen from members which merited the attention of the Notional Government. The Budgr.t must be (teceptedMn a spirit of compromise; it did not represent a party line, but was an attempt to obtain money required for the War. He thought no h.<ird«hin was involved in the. taxation RUffsrestcd, but. exception could be taken to some of the details. lie supported a further taxation of beer, but objected to the • suggestion that picture shows should bo taxed. Mr. Harris could not approve of all the proposals. Owing to the prosuprity of the country, shnormlU expenrt'tvm* could be easilv met. He improved <h-> increase in the gritdimt'd tax. b"t thought exemptions should be reduced' to £2OO. He favored an iv>erci=i» on beer and spirits, and n' tax on. tea, cigars, ■and cigarettes. The House rose at 10.4$ p.m