THE NEW TARIFF.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 209, 3 September 1900, Page 3

THE NEW TARIFF.

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day,

During the discussion in committee on the Customs Duties Amendment Bill Mr Napier made frequent efforts to include various articles on the free list. He wanted blocks excluded, in order to afford some protection to the block-making industry in Auckland. Mr J. Hutcheson, who is facile pnnceps in everything however remotely connected with shipping matters, said no one could denj' that blocks could be manufactured in Auckland equal In quality to any produced in any port of the world, but they could not compete in price with the American-made article.

Mr Monk wanted to place on the free list a commodity called "Rusaline," or "rasaline," but nobody else had any idea what it is, and there was a vague feeling that it meant some sort of deadly explosive, instead of being, as explained by the hon. member for Waitemata, a harmless lubricating oil used in connection with oil engines. The proposal was contemptuously negatived on the voices, whereat Mr Monk spoke scornfully of the crass ignorance exhibited by some politicians. Mr Napier tried to get on the free list "pulp of South Sea Island fruits imported from the islands exclusively." This was the text for a good deal of Parliamentary by-play of the nigger minstrel, corner-men style, with the member for Waitemata as Dr. Johnson, and Mr Pirani as "Brudder Bones." It was all very funny in its way until the Chairman, noting the flight of time as shown by the hands of the house clocks, recalled the wandering speakers back to the question in hand. Just at this stage Waitemata jumped up and delivered himself of a jeremiad against the evils of political "pulping," as practiced by the Premier. Just then Mr Seddon called attention to the fact that A piece of paper had been pinned to Waitemata's back. Slewing himself around to the light, Mr Monk was aware of the fact that some political wag had fastened to his coat the legend "pulp" in large letters. Then the hon. member poured out the vials of his wrath against the wicked practical joker, who, not having the fear of the standing orders before his eyes, had degraded the dignity of Parliament. The nesfor of the House (the Hon. Major Steward), who was in the chair, administered a severe rebuke on the folly of practical joking at a time when the fate of the colony hung in the balance, but poor Mr Monk complained that the Chairman had addressed the rebuke to him, as if he was the culprit, whereat there was more boisterous laughter. The Premier saved the situation by promising to devote serious consideration to the all-important "pulp" question, and Mr Napier was appeased. Schedule B was then passed, and the Bill reported, but the Premier promised, if he saw any reason to believe that injustice Avould be done by the alterations made in the tariff, he would bring down amendments by message from the Governor. Then another second reading debate took place on the motion for the third reading, which lasted until half-past live in the morning ,by which time half the members were huddled up asleep on the benches, but, being roused by a loud chorus of "ayes," rubbed th_ir eyes (no pun), and gazed about them in a half-guilty maimer, wondering what the noise was all about, and, the House having risen, members trooped wearily homewards, just as the morning star twinkled brightly in the east.