PASSED AT LAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 192, 15 August 1930, Page 5

PASSED AT LAST.

NEW CUSTOMS DUTY. PETB-CH. TAX NOW SIXPENCE. TBICMPH FOB. MB- FOBBES. (St Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Galvanised into action by the Prime j Minister's announcement tiat he would | not leave for the Imperial Conference ; unless ie secured the passage of his j financial bills, the House this afternoon cleared t£e legislative decks of tie j ■Customs Amendment Bill and adjourned until Friday afternoon. There had ieen hour after, hoar of debate, and even in the jaded condition in which members found themselves after two successive all-night sittings. tie desire to speak and repeat former speeches still remained. 2s"o progress had been made with tie bill up to the tjnie the House resumed at 2.30 pjn. to-day, and then it was that the Prime Minister threw down the gauntlet. The outcome was Mghly satisfactory from Mr. Forbes' point of view, and tie ensuing three iours saw finality readied, anoV tie bill passed. What Seduction Means. Tie petrol tax proposal remained the main bone of contention, and although the Prime Minister announced that it had been decided, with a view to meeting members, to reduce the tax to &&, j25 members were not satisfied and divided tie House. It was explained by 3lr. Forbes that I the reduction of Id would mean that ! the revenue for tie eijrhi months would j be reduced from £430,000 to 1300,000, j and for twelve months from £650,000 to i £450,000. It was obvious tiat they I could not do as mncii on a reduced in- ] come, and the only alternative he could ' see was to get the money from other j sources of taxation. Already tie ordi- j nary taxpayer was paying something j like £800.000 towards the cost of road j upSeep. and ie was not inclined to ask j them to increase the burden. i At the time of tie Prime Ministers j statement, the House had before it an j amendment moved by Mr. IL A. Wright j {Wellington Suburbs) to reduce the tax to firepence. and at 4.10 pjn. a division was taken on. it. The result was a j triumph for the Prime Minister, the proposal beisg rejected by 53 votes to 17. Tie DMsion Lists. Indicative of the manner in wMch the petrol tax had cut across the tra-eks of the parties in the House was the voting on tie division, wMch was as follows:— >j For the amendment (17). —Ansell,! Barnard, Burnett, Dickie, Endeac, j Fletcher, Harris, Jones, Kyle, linklaterj Mason, J. A. Xash, Syk.es, | Wilkinson, Wright, Young. Against (53 i.—Armstrong, Atmore.j Bitchener, Black. Broadf oot, - Campbell i Carr, Chapman, Clinkard, Coates, Cobfoe, de la Perrelle, Donald, Field, Forbes, Fraser, Hall, Hamilton, Eawke, Healy. ] Hogan, H. E. Holland, Howard, Hunter, Jordan, Langstane, Lye, % Lysnar, McCombs. 3lcDonald, " McDougalL MacmiUan. Macphercon, Makitanara. Mas3ey, Munns T Munro. Murdoch, W. Xash, Xguta, Parry, Ransom., Samuel, j Savage. Seinple, Smith, StaEworthy,. Stewart, Sullivan, Tavemer, Veitci, Waite, Williams. The Prime .Minister then moved his amendment .to reduce ihe tax to sixpence, and on a division this was carried oy 46 votes to 25. The division list was as follows: — For the amendment (46). —Atmore, Bitciener. Black. Broadfoot, Campbell,: Carr. Chapman, Clinkard, Coate.?. Cobbe, de la Perrelle, Docald, Field, Forbes, Fraser. Hawke.' Healy,' H. EL Holland, Howard, Hunter. Jordan, Langstone, Lye, McCombs, ' McDonald. MeDougall, Maspherson. Makitanara, Massev, Mguro. Murdoch, W. Sash, Xgata, Parry, Eansom. SanmeL Savage, Smith, Stailworthy, Stewart Sullivan. Sykes, Taveriser, Veitch, Williams. Against. (25). —Ansel!. Armstrong, Barnard, Burnett. Dickie, Endean, Fletcher. Eaß, Hamilton, Harris, Hogan, H. Holland. Jones., Kyle Lmklater. Lysnar, McKeen. Macmillan, Mason, J. A. Xash Semple, Waite, Wilkinson, Wright, Young. The remainder of tie bill was disposed of without any great delay, and the House rose at 6 p.m.