TARIFF DEBATE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1921, Page 5

TARIFF DEBATE.

FURTHER PROGRESS MADE. MANY AMENDMENTS MOVED. j RETENTION OF DUTIES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. When the House resumed to-night consideration of the Customs Bill was continued at the item in class VII, “glass, crown sheet, common window, etc.”, and on the Minister’s motion the general tariff was reduced from twenty to ten per cent. Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Labor Party) wanted “clocks, time registers and time detectors” put on the free list, but in a division he was beaten by 39 votes to 10. Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) challenged the proposed duty on watches, which he wanted placed on the free list. This was defeated by 42 to 9. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) called for a division on “fancy goods and toys”, which resulted in the duty being retained by 44 to 11. Considerable discussion took place on the item “Precious stones, cut or uncut, if unmounted free”. The Labor Party protested that it was absurd to let precious stones in free while the people’s tea was taxed. The Minister explained that the department considered it would be impossible to collect the duty on precious stones, because collection would be so easily evaded, without an. unpleasant and inquisatorial search, which do one wanted. The department therefore came to the conclusion that it would be better not to impose any duty rather than reduce its collection to force. Mr. McCombs moved to strike the item out as an indication that some duty should be imposed, but this was lost by 30 to 26. Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South) moved that the British preferential duty on “mouldings in the piece etc.” be reduccc'ifrom twenty to ten per cent. He said mouldings were being made in England and greater preference should be given Britain against Germany. The motion was defeated by 34 to 23. Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central) raised the question of admitting instruments used by brass bands free. The Premier said the proposal was a dangerous one and would rob the country of a great deal of revenue if agreed to. A plea was put in for patriotic bands and bands belonging to philanthropic institutions. Mr. Holland and Mr. McCombs contended that music was an art and should not be taxed at all. Finally the Minister agreed to hold the matter over with a view to seeing whether some safe line of demarkation between instruments which should pay and those which should be free could be found. This was agreed to. Mr. Holland moved that “phonographs, gramaphones etc” be free under all headings, contending that gramaphones provided music for people residing in the bush. The amendment was lost by 44 to 12. In class nine, “paper and stationery”, the Minister moved a new proposal in connection with paper used for wrapping fruit —paper of qualities approved by the Minister, entered and declared to be for the use of orchardists in wrapping fruit, British preferential 5s per cwt. or 20 per cent, ad valorem, whichever rate returns the higher duty; intermediate 7s 6d per cwt. or 30 per cent, ad valorem, whichever returns the higher duty; general 8s 9d per cwt. or 35 per cent, ad valorem, . whichever rate returns the higher duty. The Minister explained that these duties would remain in suspension until it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Department of Agriculture that paper for wrapping fruit equal to the best imported quality can be sold in New Zealand at reasonable prices and in sufficient quantity. A reasonable price shall be deemed to be a price not exceeding the current domestic value of paper of good quality for orchardists’ use, plus freight, insurance and all charges landed in New Zealand, when imported from either British Dominions, Europe or America, as the Department of Agriculture may elect, and plus not more than ten per cent. When it is proposed to enforce the suspended duty it will be done by Order-in-Couneil. These proposals were agreed to, and the remainder of the class was passed without amendment. The House rose at 10.40 p.m.