THE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2580, 30 September 1915, Page 6

THE HOUSE

THE TAXATION BILL finaTstages After Tee Dominion went to press yesterday morning, the debate' on the second Teading of "the Finance Bill' was continued. Mr. Hiiie called a , division on his amendment, expressing disapproval of the primage duties, and suggesting that they be reduced and the shortage made up by the imposition of increased beer duties. He could not find a supporter to tell with him, Lowever, and tlio amendment therefore lapsed. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the House went into Committee on the Bill.

Enemy Cootls. On the clause' proposing a 50 per cent, surtax on enemy goods, Sir. G. Witty (Uiccarton) asked whether the surtax ivas sufficient. He would have liked to see it increased to 75 per oent. _ . . Sir Joseph' Ward said that in his opinion 50 per cent, was enough for the present. There were certain fertilisers widely tVaed in tlws couatrs

which could not be procured except in enemy countries, l'lio surtax could be increased later if necessary. Mr. W. A. Vcitcli (Wangainii) warned the House of the clanscr of imposing sncli a duty as would leave the British manufacturer, freed from German competition, to exploit tho pcoplo in this country. The duty should bo just sufficient to keep Gorman goods out. Sir' Joseph, Ward thought that tho position was met by the suli-clause giving the Government power to amend or revoke the Orders-in-Council imposing the surtaxes. Mr. C. J. Parr (Eden) feared that the surtax was not sufficient. Wo should have such a surtax as would make the entry of German goods impossible, and lie feared that by subsidies, freight rebates, and so on, tho fifty per cent. 1 would bo whittled down'. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Eguiont) pointed out that potash, which was largely used as a fertiliser, came only from Germany, where the only mines ill tho world were situated. Mr. R. Fletcher (Wellington Central) was of opinion that the tax should be increased to 100 per ccnt. Sir Joseph Ward asked the Committee to be a little moderate. If we proposed an increase such as 100 per ccnt. the tax might be set aside after 'the war by the Imperial Government. After tho war the tax could he reviewed. Efe did not expect any competition by Germany against British goods for many years to come.

Beer Duty. When tho clauses relating to beer duty were reached, Sir: G. V.-Pearce (Patea) moved to strike out tho first of them (Interpretation) as an indication to tho Government that the beer duty should be increased to 6d. per gallon, and should be assessed by the -present method and not by the proposed new method. The amendment was defeated by 48 votes to 9. Those honourable members who supported it were: Messrs.'Pearce, Harris, Thomson, Lee, Wilkiuson, Hine, Escott, Sykes, and Dr. Newman. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) urged that revonue might be raised by the salo of hotel licenses. For £40 a year a man could obtain a license worth at least £2040. Ho asked the Minister to lceop this in mind when considering tho imposition of more new taxes..The clauses wore agreed to.

Horse Racing. Mr. G. Hunter (Wp.ipawa) took exception- to tho proposal to liold every officer of a racing. club responsible for the payment to the. Government of th«. moneys duo o.s taxes ou owners' winnings, and making officers liable . for failure on tlie part of the club to pay. Mr. D. Buick (Palmerston) 6aid that as a racing man in a small way lie would bo very glaij. to pay his sharo of taxation on racing. The racing men were proud to be able to_ help their country, and cn them was imposed 1 the only tax' 011 amusement. The Bill was through Committee at 3.30 a.m.

The Last Stage. On the motion for the third reading, Messrs. P. C. Webb, A. Harris, and J. M'Combs were the only members who spoko. SIR JOSEPH WARD (Minister of Finance), in reply, said that no sane man could argue ihattha workers hero were not treated anything but leniently by the Bill, and he' spent some considerable time in endeavouring to prove to the' member for Lyttolton and the member for Grey that their criticism of the Budget was unreasonable and unjustified. Tn reply to Dr. Newman and his complaint about the failure of the Government to exercise economy, Sir Joseph Ward said it was very easy to make a general complaint, and very difficult to submit practical pronosals for -offocting economies. He would'suggest to the member for Wellington East that 110 should withhold his judgment as to whether two millions, was too much taxation, and as to whether two millions was too much to spend on public works until_ lie saw What happened. He referred last of all to those who had fault to find with the decision of the Government wid of the House regarding the beer. duty. If the dut-v on* beer were doubled, as they urged, the result would be to close up all small breweries.' Of this he was assured, and he would be no party to handing over a monopoly to the big brewery concerns in New Zealand. Furthermore, the proposal that lighter ales should be manufactured in New Zealand found ■ favour with the Government. He did not know whether; this would make the brewers' profits creater, bnt- if this should bo so the Government would get extra, revenue by way of income tax. , The Bill was read a third time on the voices. The House roso at 4.04 a.m., until 7.30 p.m.