PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2485, 14 June 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(by telegraph—press association.) WEDNESDAY. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30. The Hon E. Whitaker presented a petition from the Auckland fruit growers, protesting against the Codlin Moth Bill. The report from the Committee of the Criminal Code Bill was read and ordered to be printed. The Council rose at 4.45. till to-morrow.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WEDNESDAY. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. The Land for Settlement Bill was received from the Waste Lands Committee, and ordered to be committed on 20th June. Mr Rhodes resumed the debate on the committal of tho Customs Bill, and supported Mr Beetham's amendment. Mr Blake would support the tariff proposals, not because of Free-trade or Protection considerations, but because of the necessities of the country, he also disapproved of raising the school age. Mr Izard said lie was returned at tho last election pledged to support a policy of Freetrade. The Minister fjr education was also elected to support the same policy. He should support Mr Beetham's amendment, although somewhat ill-timed. Mr Anderson thanked the Government for the able manner in which they had carried out their retrenchment proposals. He felt, however, that they should have brought down the Public Works Statement before proposing such heavy taxation. The proposed taxation would press most heavily on the farming community, and if such heavy duties were added to this already over-taxed industry, thousands of farmers would have to go to the wall. Mr Lough rey agreed with the tariff proposals as a whole. Mr Thompson (Marsden) gave the Government every credit for their large retrenchment, but they would have to go further yet. Mr Monk was opposed to the Property Tax as not being equitable in its operation, and pointed out that he know of cases in which land had been valued at £3 10s per acre, and let at 18s per acre. The Property Tax was immoral in its tendency.

Interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr Monk continued denouncing extravagances of all kinds, particularly railways, He had made up hia mind to support thorough retrenchment, and was only sorry now be had voted for the loan. Mr Hobbs said he objected to the proposal to abolish the Frisco service in order to subsidise the direct steamers to carry Home the big run-holders mutton, and Mr Beetham had not shown whore further, retrenchment was to be made to any great extent. He urged that local industries should be cncouraged at all hazards. Mr O'Connor said ho agreed with the Government proposals, but would set his face against any taxation that pressed upon the poor. There was nothing that would help the country districts for the tariff was clearly intended to benefit small town industries. There was too much waste land in the country which must be settled beforo prosperity would return, and railways must be put under an independent Board before they would ever pay. Ho would not support the amendment. Mr Frazer accused the Government of crippling the goldtields by their indifierence to their needs. He believed in Protection, and would yield tho Government a general support. Mr Moss was sure we ought to be thankful our credit had fallen, because it would now make us really face our position at last. He objected to the tea duty, he was certain the protectionists could do without twothirds of the duties in the Bill. The imports they desired were merely of a defensive character and would not be revenue raising. He was satisfied that the policy of protection was the right one and he supported the Tariff. Mr J McKenzie would support the Government in imposing necessary taxation when he was satisfied all necessary retrenchment had been effected.

The Minister of Education defended himself from the charges of inconsistency, and quoted previous speeches to show he had not varied one jot in his opinions on the subject of aid to local industries. Dr. Hodgkinson would support Mr Beetham's amendment by way of protest against the taxation of the country beyond the necessary degree. Mr Taylor also supported the amendment. Mr Ormond protested against the House proceeding to discuss the Tariff before hearing from the Government their roasons for sucn heavy taxation. The debate had shown it would have been wise to first consider whether the expenditure could not be reduced. He threw on the Protectionist party the onus of increasing the cost of commodities to the industrial classes, which was really what the tariff meant. He firmly believed that the House would agree to raising the school age to six. He regretted the Government had taken a course which must dissever them from their old friends. Mi Hudson advised those who want to interfere with the education vote to turn their attention to secondary instead of primary education. He did not approve of discontinuance of local subsidies.

Mr Menteath could not see any consistency in the attitude of the Ministry, for they were now proposing a tariff identical with that which the Premier had been instrumental in rejecting last year. He proceeded to criticise various items in the Financial Statement, such as the vote for schools, which had no right to be taken out of the customs revenue. The House rose at 11.30 p.m.