HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 53, 31 August 1894, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting.

lIMPBEST SUPPLY. An Imprest Supply Bill (No. 3) was passed through all stages after a prolonged debate. DAIRY INDUSTRY BILL. This Bill was read a second time, jro forma, on the motion of the Minister for Agriculture, and referred to the Agricultural Committee. ON COAL AND WHEAT. On the motion to go into Committee of Supply, Mr. R. M'Kenzie moved that in the opinion of the House an import duty should be placed on ooal. Mr. E. M. Smith strongly opposed the motion. EviNING SITTINOt. The Premier said if he oonld give a free vote he would give it in favour of the motion, but he urged that under the oircnmBtahoea the motion be withdrawn. Mr. O'Kegan said the Premier's position was unworthy of his offioe. He strongly condemned the motion, as well as the proposal to place a fresh import duty on wheat. Mr. B. Thompson supported the motion. Inoreaßed duty would not inorease the price to tho consumer. The Colonial Treasurer thought Mr. M'Kenzie's amendment would do good. If Newcastle coal were kept out, the price of ooal in New Zealand would decrease rather than increase. They should wait and see what New South Wales proposed to do ; but the time had arrived when, if the hostile tariffs of the other colonies were to continue, it would be the duty of the Government to put on high import duties against those colonies. The duty on wheat and flour was a very delicate matter, as there were more interests to consider than those of tho producer. There were the consumers in the cities. The Government was not going to do anything which if effected would cause incroaao in the coat of ono of the necessary articles of life. The depreciation in the value of wheat had affected tho other colonies, and wheat was being sent over to Now Zealand. It would be the duty of the Government to fully consider the effect this importation ot wheat would have on the grower. If it was found that it would effect depreciation in values in New Zealand, it wonld be their duty to impose a duty, provided it did not inorease the price of bread. Mr. George Hutchison expressed regret at the speeohes of the Premier and Colonial Treasurer, whioh must cause great alarm, s and might be a serious thing for the colony generally. There was an implied threat from the Colonial Treasurer that an import duty would be put on cereals. Suoh a duty would make bread dearer, and he challenged the Government to go to the country on it. Messrs. Tanner, Crowther, and Earnshaw condemned the motion. Messrs. M'Lachlan, M'Gowan, Hogg, and Mackintosh also spoke. Mr. Bell said if there was one thing that the successful candidates at the last eleotion pledged themselves to more tbtro another, it was that taxation should be taken off necessaries. The Government, with its groat majority, was leading this country to inevitable ruin._ The Minister for Labour said that as Now South Wales had not kept open its ports for our produce, it was now a question whether retaliation should not be considered. To hold our own we should show New South Wales that we were armed and ready to carry war into her torritory. There was already a. wheat duty in the colony, yet the price of bread was not raised. The only difference was that the bread was made of New Zealand flour instead of Adelaido flour. If the price of wheat were raised a penny or twopence a bushel, the prioe of bread would not be raised, and the result would bo the stopping of the Adelaide and Melbonrne flour from coming in, and the effeot would be to raise the price to the middlemen. There wore over 600,000 bushels of wheat in Dunedin and 200,000 in Christohurch held for the growers, and any rise in price tho grower would get. Tho result of free trade in coal was that rings and syndicates kopt prices np artificially all over*the colony. If they kept out Newcastle coal the Government was strong enough to deal vith rings and syndicates and to break down monopolies. Messrs. Maslin, Massey, Meredith, and G. W. Kuflsoll oondemned the proposal. Captain Kusaell said the outcome of the Government deliberations during the past two yoars wab a decision to impose further taxation on the necessaries of life. A tax on coal would most seriously injure the trade of Auoklana, which largely relied on timber taken over to Australia in ships whioh brought baok cargoes of coal. The reason Adelaide wheat came to New Zealand this year was that there had been a wet harvest, and bakers insisted on having a certain qnality of dry wheat to mix with tho New Zealand wheat in flour for the making of bread. Mr. Sannders expressed abhorrence of tho principles ennnoiated in the Ministerial speeches. The duty would be no advantage to the farmers, as thiß was an exporting, and not an importing country, but the inorease in tho prioe of coal would be an additional tax on farmers, as it would inorease tho cost of all industry, and the cost of freezing and carriage of frozen moat. Mr. M'Guire cordially endorsed all tho preceding speakor had said. Mr. Montgomery considered the proposed tax on wheat was a reversion to tho ininiquitous Corn Laws, and the tax on coal would simply increase its price. Mr. Pirani thought every sensible man must condemn the motion. He could not understand the position of a Government that proposed an export bonus on coal, and advocated at the same time an import duty. What was wanted was better conservation of the coal supplies. Mr. Allen, speaking as a coal proprietor, representing a coal district, said that a tax on ooal would not benefit the coal miner, though it might bonofit tho proprietor. The Government daro not go to the country on a tax on coal or bread. Messrs. Harris, Collins, and Pinkerton opposed the amendment, and Mr. Duncan supported it. The amendment was lost on the voioei? and tho Housa wont into Committee of Supply. THE ESTIMATES. The Education estimates were taken. Members objected to taking the Education estimates. At the first item Mr. M'Guiro moved to report progress. Tho Premier deolined to accept tho motion, which was, however, oarriod on dvision by 31 to 27. The House rose at 1.35 a.m.