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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WEDNESDAY. The House met at 2.20. NOTICKS. Mr Thomson (Marsden) gave notice to move that in the. interest of retrenchment it is desirable that the Public Works and Native Departments be abolished. Mr Tannor gave notice to movo that the Education Act be amended so as to provide for raising the school age to seven years. THE TAlilt'E. Tho Premier briefly moved the second reading of the Custom's Duties Tariff Bill. He hoped it would be approached in the spirit mentioned by many members, and every assistance bo given to remove any anomalies that might bo found. Mr Cowan said that while admiring the thorough way in which the Government had approached retrenchment ho could not appprove of the Protective portion of their tariff proposals. Ho considered the time had come when the cost of education should bo reduced, and subsidies to local bodies discontinued. Ho pointed out where further savings could be made, and would only support the portion of the Bill required for revenue purposes. Mr Hobbs contended that tho reason these extraordinary proposals had become necessary was the extravagance of the late Government and it was no wonder Oppositionists wore silent. He would prefer the abolition of tho exemption in the Property Tax to tho tea duty, and would like to see an Income Tax established.

Mr Smith was opposed to the crushing taxation that was intended, and considered this increase could have easily been avoided by calling Parliment together in February to remody the error in the Loan Act. He moved as an amendment that the Bill be read that day six months. Mr Mc Arthur said the Premier had completely thrown over many of his followers by these protective proposals. Last session he had promised to bring down a tariff that would satisfy everybody. The Premier explained that he had only said so in a lively way. Mr McArthur said it was a pity they had not known the Premier was jesting, but he had not pleased all the Freetraders, who felt tboy had been deserted, and their chief had thrown himself into the hands of the Opposition. If he had known last session as much of the finances as lie did now, he would never have voted for the loan, nor, he thought, would many others. He was sure the tariff would be a cruel check to the settlement of the country.

l>r. Newman conceived the financial policy of the Government was most unwiso. He was not satisfied all means of retrenchment had been exhausted, Why not pay off or fund the whole of the deficit ? He said they would not derive as much revenue as they thought from the increases because people would consume less tea. Air Mcnteath expressed his disgust at the behaviour of the Government. The policy now brought down was really the last Government's. The people would awaken, and hurl them from power with curses and anathemas. Protection would probably cause a short " boom," but it would not last more than two or three yours, as the effect would be to set up a few puny industries, which would be strangled in the end by the force of competition in narrow limits. He would vote against the Bill because it was born of political fraud, and because the taxes would put a burden on the people entirely out of proportion to the amount raised. He warned the Opposition to look to it that they were not hereafter decoyed by those who now betrayed their own party. Mr Taylor said, with a few exceptions, the Tarilf was satisfactory to him.

Interrupted by the o.HO adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30.

Mr Taylor continued. He objected to class legislation, and advocated an Income Tax.

])r. Hodgkinson thought local subsidies might be abolished. The Tariff was not unfairly protective, but an ad valorem duty on tea would have been bettor than a fixed duty. Tho Government .should have finally settled whether the public services were to be further reduced. The property exemption might be abolished, and lie strongly hoped that the railways should be sold. Mr Pyke could not see exactly where tho protection element of the tariff came in, as jnore articles were taxed under it which could not be produced in the colony than could They should first see whether money could not be obtained in other directions. Education should only be free up to the fourth standard, and the expensive system of high schools abolishel, and the school age raised. Local subsidies out to disappear. There were some anomalies in the tariff, and some of the imposts were taxes on industry. Unless the Government assured him each item would be discussed separately he must vote against the second reading. Sir H. Atkinson said this would be so.

Mr Hutchinson said the Opposition supported the Tariff because of its protective element, not because of faith in the general financial proposals of the Government. The duty on tea and primage, tax were weak concessions to those members who wore neither Protectionists nor Freetraders. It wa3 quite impossible to complete the defence work-s, except at enormous cost, so they might as well make a saving on them. Hon. Mr Fergus twitted Mr Hutchinson with constantly putting questions and notices regarding defences on the Order Paper. Mr Hutchinson was quite wrong about the state of the defences, which, on the authority of the Governor and General Schaw, were in a very forward state. It had been determined not to ab'.lish country corps, because the Government would have to take over a largo amount of liabilities with them. Regarding Mr Mentcath's speech, he said during all his career ho had been setting on a rail and always tumbling oil the wrong Bide. Alter three months of consideration the Government could see no better means of raising the money urgeutly required than those they had proposed. Nothing would induce him to face three such months of worry and anxiety again. Mr Reeves (St. Albans) said that the Hon. Mr Fergus reproving Mr Mentieth was like Satan reproving Sin, but he was glad to find that Mr Menteath had at last found something to which he could stick, and he hoped that he would not treat the Free-traders like he had treated the Midland Railway. He contended that farmers were exceptionally well treated in the tariff. As to Freetraders generally they were ready to support the duties if it was merely said they were required for revenue purposes, but if these same duties were called protective they stood aghast. Why had not Freetraders helped the Opposition last session to reduce the loan ? How could they say Atkinson had deserted them, when it was notorious at the last election hs had not a single follower, and the only man who dared openly to support him had to get a cortilieato that ho was not a lunatic. Their allianco with him was only a muriage do convenauco. For himself he accepted the Tariff, becauso it suited him, and they were not going to refuso the Treasurer sufficient revenue if he made out a good case for it. The Tariff was not entirely protective, but it was acceptable as an instalment. He ventured to say capitalists wonld welcome it with approbation, aud it was capitalists who employed labour. Mr Steward would have liked to see a progressive property-tax and income tax. He was afraid the tarilf would fall most heavily on those least able to bear it. Ho UluugH it was powiblo to ved,m;o tlw uout

of education without impairing its efficiency. Ho disliked the tax on tea and cm cottons, out would not object to an extra beer duty and a carriage tax. Mr Grlmniond opposed the tariff, as money could bo got in other ways. He preferred the abolition of the Property-tax exemption and a graduated Land and Income tax to the Government proposals whicn would only foster artificial industries, to the detriment of the colony. . . Mr Buchanan opposed the tarilf, giving his reasons at length. Mr Allen moved the adjournment of the debate till 2.30 to-morrow. Carriod by 02 to IS. The House rose at 11.35.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT18880607.2.34.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2482, 7 June 1888, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,362

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2482, 7 June 1888, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2482, 7 June 1888, Page 3

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