BEER AND TAXATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1917, Page 8

BEER AND TAXATION.

AN INTERESTING SITUATION. MEMBERS AGAINS'"' THE GOVERNMENT. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Correspondent.) Wellington, August 22. Mr. Isitt':; amendment in favor of increased duties on beer and'spirits produced an interesting situation in the course of the financial debate to-night There was no doubt at all that the majority of members of the House were in favor of the amendment. There »3 a strong feeling that liquor ia not paying enough taxation at the present time, and members have been irritated by the failure of the beer revenue to reach Ministerial estimates during the last two year:;. Mr. Masscy, who realised the position, appealed to the House not to carry the amendment. He said that the Government's liquor legislation would be brought down as soon as ,tbo> financial proposals had been dealt with. He assured members it would be dangerous to embarrass the Minister for Finance by carrying the amendment. When the amendment was put to the ffotise, voices were strongly in favor of it. The Speaker, evidently, feeling the difficulty, asked for the voices again, and declared that the motion had been rejected. A smile went round the House, but nobody asked for a division, and the incident closed. Mr. Lee (Oamaru), speaking a little later, said the Government miist be very blind or very much interested in the liquor trade if it had not understood the attitude of the House. The beer duty must b e increased to at least sixpence per gallon!