Evening Sitting.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3427, 16 December 1879, Page 2

Evening Sitting.

The House resumed at 7.30. '

The debate was resumed bjr Mr Hutchison, who advised the Premier to say that he regretted the telegrams had been given up, and he (Hutchison) believed that would satisfy the House. The amendment was put and negatived on the voices.

On the original motion being pot, Mr Turnbull was about to make another amendment, when

Mr Hall said the Government would agree to an adjournment of the original motion, with the view of allowing other business to be gone on with. The suggestion was agreed to, and the business on th» Order Paper proceeded.

THE AMOUNT OF THE TAX.

Major Atkinson mored the ; second. reading of the Property Tax Bill. He stated that the deficit would be £120,000. la these circumstances, he hoped a penojr would be agreed to, and thirty per cen on ail insurance premiums received Without these sums, it would bs quite impossible to make any approach towards presiding for their liabilities. Mr Hutchison, by way of recording bis protest against the measure, moved that it be read that day six months. The Sill was vicious in principle, inquisitorial in practice, and unnecessary as asourotof revenue. , 31 r Dick said that in committee lie would propose that the amount should be reduced to one half-penny. Sir G. Grey condemned the'bill. It i was altogether unnecessary, and an income tax would have been, very much freer. He would vote against the hill in every form. When the question was brought np in committee as to whether amount should be Id or £d he did not ye know how, he would go. He would be guided by facts • then adduced; He thought the cost would be very much, in. deed it was most unfair to ask a man to' value his own property. ' - Major Atkinson said it was monstrous for the members on the opposite side o the House to say there was no need for increased taxation. These gentlemen had

spent during the tinio they were in office 3| millions of money and left liabilities to the extent of 2£ millions. In the face of that it was perfectly absurd for them to speak about dispensing with tbe increased taxation. There will be on the figures he had brought down a deficit of £150,000 independent of the supplementary estimate which may bo set down at £70,000, but with strict economy they hoped to bo able to reduce that deficit!

On a division that the Bill bo read a second time —ayes 41; noes 22. The Bill was read a second time and committeed.

Mr Diet moved that tbe words " one penny " be struck out in clause 2, and " -2fd " inserted.

Major Atkinson said that at the penny rate Government would not be able to" raise more thau £208,000, and he hoped they would not insist upon the proposed reduction.

On a division, it waa corried'by 36 to 24 that " halfpenny " bo inserted instead of " penny." Mr Hall said that the reduction from Id to \d was a great disappointment to Government. He had no doubt but that members were sincere in their avowlas. Next session if Government found that ad was too little, a Id would bo voted.

Major Atkinson moved as a further amendment that the sum be fd. Mr Dick said he fully admitted there s?*uld be a deficit, and no bringing for* ward the motion he kept that fact steadily in view. He maintained, however, that the deficiency could be made up in another wiy; for instance, a tax might very properly be imposed on colonial made beer. On the queition being put that the half-penny stand part of the question as against the 7-Bths of a penny moved by Major Atkinspn the division was, Ayes 24, noes 39.

On the question being put to insert 7--Bths of a penny. Mr Sheehan moved that the Chairman leave tbe chair.- He looked upon the whole thing as a mere sham. It was not necessary that any tax should be imposed at all.

, The motion for leaving the Chair was withdrawn, and the motion for seveneighths of Id put and carried. Progress was then reported, and leave asked to sit again. Major Atkinson moved that the Bill be recommitted with a view of increasing the sum from -| of a penny to one penny. Messrs McLean and Dick spoke in opposition, contending that the amount likely to accrue under the tax would exceed the amount calculated upon by the Treasurer.

On the motion for recommittal being pot it was carried on the voices. la committee the clause was considered when Major Atkinson proposed that the words " seren-eightiu " be struck out and the words " one penny " inserted. The House divided on the question that 7-eighths of Id stand part of the question —ayes 18, noes 34 On the question being .put, "That one penny stand part of the question," Mr Barron moved that " one half-penny " be inserted.

The House dirided, ayes 18, noes 34. The Bill as amended then being the original sum printed, one penny, was reported. On the motion that the Speaker leave the chair to go into Committee of Supply, a division took piece, ayes 36, noes 22.

The House went into Committee of Supply, and had not adjourned when our message left at 1 a.m.