PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Press, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4636, 10 June 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[By Tbxbgbaph.]

[feom ottb owk oobbbspokdbkt.] WELLINGTON, June 9. Political gossip has been slack to-day, all interest being engrossed by the financial statement made last night. There is great diversity of opinion regarding the merits of the various proposals, bat the general view seems to be that the Government fiaanoial policy is an honest and able effort to grapple with existing and prospective difficulties. Members are very reticent at present on the subject, and are exceedingly ohary of committing themselves until they can see how the proposals go down with the public Each member is very anxious to ascertain other members' views, bnt very relnctant to disclose his own. . The beer tax seems to be approved by the majority, bnt a large number, both in and oat of the House, regret that the tea and sugar duties were not re-imposed. The concession _ regarding the property tax does not give universal satisfaction, many who had really thought the matter out seeing clearly that the exemption is all in favor of the more wealthy class. However, the people clamoured for it and have got it. Members are still more shy of intimating any decided opinion as to the local finance scheme offered in lieu of subsidies, and there is likely to be much difference .of opinion on this head, but the question is so complicated that it ie nob yet fully grasped -by . most peonle. Ministers are universally regarded as/having committed an error of judgment last night in allowing Sir G. Grey to entrap them into a long and acrimonious debate after the delivery of the statement, bnt Sir G. Grey's three long speeches have disgusted even many of his admirers, as they were unspeakably weak and twaddling. He completely wearied even hie own supporters, and finally eat down amid silence even on the part of his special otooguer*, to his manifest astonishment and disgust. I mentioned yesterday that a good deal of speculation took place among the mercantile community in anticipation of probable increases in the Customs duties expeoted to be announced in the House last night. While only £440 was taken at the Customs on Saturday, on Monday £1160 was colleoted, and yesterday no lees than £232713s 6d was oolleoted. The average receipts lately have been about £600 per day. A very widespread impression prevailed that the tea and sugar duties would be re-imposed, and .for some- time pest considerable quantities of these goods have been taken out of bond. According to the "Post," when the Botomahana arrived from Sydney, one wellknown firm paid £654 on tea alone..The same firm yesterday paid £406 on the same article, while on the 31at of May one Wellington firm paid over £230 on sugar ; and two others paid over £100 each on the same article. A soft goods firm took out £860 worth of 15 per cent, goods, apparently under the impreesion that a" higfcet tax was* to be "on these. An unusually large quantity of spirits, : especially under;, proof- qualities, was «lso cleared, but an increased duty on imported beer does not appear to have been at* all apprehended. Messrs Bannatyne and Co. were the only merchants who went in at all largely for clearing this article, they-taking out goods on which the duty amounted to about £140. Merohants also, without exception, were completely deceived in their anticipations. One firm may congratulate itself on not being "let in " for a heavier amount, as had the Tararua arrived at Eussell yesterday before the Custom House closed, a large quantity of sugar consigned to the gentleman in question would have been landed there, and duty amounting to several hundreds of pounds paid on it. Yesterday afternoon they were anxiously fearing that the steamer would not arrive; this morning they have reason to congratulate themselves on the delay in her arrival. The "Post" also remarks that there was ample opportunity offered last night for " a smart man of business , ' on the part of the local brewers and others, and a corresponding loss to the revenue. The announcement of the new duties on beer was made about nine o'clock last night, and as the duties were not ordered to come into force until this day (June 9th), between nine and twelve, o'clock last night there was plenty of time for a brewer who was at the House to hurry down to his place of business and clear out all bis stock before " t*he witching hour." As a matter of fact I believe that when the Customs officers this morning went round to collecfthe duties on the beer in stock they found that one brewer had little or nothing to be taxed, while I hear of another who held ) 150 hogsheads yesterday. I am not aware, however, whether in the other case it was done in the way suggested or whether it was done through the foresight of the gentleman in question before the etatement was delivered. There are some carious disclosures on this subject in a telegram from a Napier correspondent, who says that there was an extraordinary muddle over the beer tax there. A brewer in town knew the exact amount of the tax-early in the day, and one hotel laid in over 2000 gallons, besides which other houses laid in stocks also. Again, before daylight this moeaing all the carts m the town were carrying away beer from the breweries, and it was not until ten minutes to ten o'clock that the Customs and police authorities were officially informed of the tax, thorjgh the police had been waiting up all. night in expectation of having to perform some urgent duty. The result is that some hundreds of pounds of duty have been lost* the sum collected being only £140. It also appears that the publicans held a meeting I before the statement; waa delivered, and die-

cussed the tax and who was to bear it. It is noteworthy that the intentions of the Government regarding local finance were improperly disclosed in Napier while a strict State secret, and it would be interesting to know who has either succeeded in surprising both these secrete and then has revealed them, or who has been the betrayer of the confidence reposed in him. The Wellington auctioneers assert that the Bill introduced by the Colonial Secretary is a copy of an old Southern Ordinance. A deputation waited on the Colonial Treasurer some time ago, and suggested a measure, and steps are now being taken for another deputation to wait on the Government in reference to the Bill.

In the eeoond number of "Hansard/ , containing a debate in the Legislative Council on the Hon. G. M. Waterhouae's motion regading r the five million loan all the stray remarks of the Hons. Scotland and Brett are carefully omitted. Attention is likely to be directed to this garbling of the report.