PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 158, 4 July 1916, Page 9

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALIERY. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. Monday. GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS. "Is it a fitct 'tuhiE a German school exists at Marton where children are taught German?" asked Jlr. Payne in the House to-niVh't: Another question he put was to ascertain if a German engine-driver resident at Marton drives on the Main Trunk-, if it i* a fact that no British fireman will work with him, and if he has had to drive trains conveyin? soldiers. The segregation of Austrians in the Parenjra jrumneld is also the subject of Mr. Payne's attention. He asked if this area, owned by a syndicate, was so poor that the "syndicate was unable to make.it pay owing to the poor quality of the .gum. and asked whether it was part of the consideration that the land-owners will set free Austrian labour. Mr. Massey replied' that the arrangements made had nothing to do with providing the company or individuals owning tliia'hxnd- with Austrian or other free labour. What had been done was that a section of so-called Austrians would be removed to Parenga jn the not far distant future. When working there they would be under exactly the same conditions as other Austrians and. British on the field. They would pay a royalty for the gum produced, and would be able to sell it in the open market to anyone who liked to purchase it. WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. Compliments fell fast on the Ministerial benches to-night over the successful remodelling of the Land and Income Tax Assessment. 8.Q1,. so as to abolish the mortgage tax. Mr. Wilford noted smilingly that every member on the Reform side,.pf v (he House had c-ongra-tnilated the Government, while every member on the other congratulated the Minister of Finance. "1 don't comment on it. but it is curious." he added. The Premier replied that he didn't know if Mr. Wilford was on the other side of the House, hut he personally wished to take the opportunity of congratulating Sir Joseph Ward heartily and sincerely on the -proposal he brought down to do away with the mortgage tafc ■[ hope that will satisfy the critics." he concluded. WHO PAYS MOST FOR WAR? Mr. Xosworthv's undertaking to die in the last "ditcli'fo defend the farmer from unju-t taxation was echoed tonight in the House by another farming member. "r-HitVr'no'flosire to put town against country." said Mr. Newman (Oroun). "but the time is approaching when the representatives of farmers will have to look out or the country people are going to be put in for a very bad time. There is going to be a determined effort to put far more than their share of the cost of the war upon the farming community. Farmers are quite willing to bear their share or more than their share if necessary, but they are not going to pay out of reason." Mr. Newman assured the Minister that doing- away with the mortgage tax would relieve a great number of people with small income? from money invested in mortgages. If any dofieieney had to bo made up it would come out of the surplus. . i 11 ■ Mr. Craigie immediately put the opposite" view." Addressing the' Mmis'tcr of Finance, he-satd: "You've been very good and generous to farmers, almost too good, by doing away with mortgage tax." .Mr. Craigie added that it would encourage speculative lari.l sharks who were a curse U> the country, causing unrest among those who went in for honest farming. The Premier declared that as a farmer he was prepared to pay his share, as he had to do in connection with the increased land and income tax. What the <;overument endeavoured to do was to see that ench individual paid his share in proportion to hiis ability to pay. The Government did its be.-t to carry out that principle. "Here we are. whining away, winning away over increased taxation." declared Mr. Isitt. Farmers were the chief grumblers—for one business man who wrote to the newspapers half a dozen I farmers complained. Taxation Tested very equitably-: postage and telegraph taxes fell heavily on town men. The farmer did not feel sn much the high cost of commodities. They might be ! appealed to for patriotic purposes once a month, but city men met appeals once a day; it wias, a constant drain. i