POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 21232, 13 October 1932, Page 16

POLITICAL POINTS

THE DAY'S WDRK [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] ’WELLINGTON,. October 12. Unexpectedly Hie Financial Debate is dying bard. The day produced a further batch of .speakers, and it is now clear that the discussion will have to bo interrupted to-morrow night to enable the Customs resolutions to be dealt with. There was at least one Ministerial contributor —Mr Macmillan —and nearly a dozen private members yet to be beard, and as the Imprest Supply Dill will intervene on Friday the debate will extend into next week. The whole of this afternoon was devoted to a protracted discussion on Mr M'Combs’s amendment to the I.C, and | A. Act. but as the Bill was talked out i its actual introduction stage was not | .reached. I The iirst Government- measure of the session appeared this evening in the shape of a proposal to, prevent local bodies from withdrawing their sinking innds from the common fund of the Public Trust until April 1, 1935. * » * * IMPORTED WHEAT. The wheat which the Government imported for sale and distribution as fowl food was brought into New Zealand as Government, property, and was therefore free of duty. Wheat which was imported by the Wheat Marketing Agency Company Ltd., of Christchurch, paid duty assessed on a special basis. ! This information was given in the House yesterday afternoon by Mr Forbes in a reply to a question by Mr Carr, who asked whether recent importations of wheat by the Government bad been subject to the full amount of duty as provided under the sliding scale, and if not. to what extent, and by whose authority had the statutory duty been modified? In announcing that the wheat bad been imported duty free. Air Forbes said the wheat had been sold at 5s 3d per bushel (sacks in), ex ships’ slings at North Island ports. ; This price, while more than the duty free value, was less than the full duty paid equivalent. Wheat to which Mr Carr 'might be referring was recently ; also imported by the Wheat Marketing Agency Lid.. Christ church, under special arrangements by which the duty ; bad been paid no to a basis of value determined by the internal price? of wheat and Hour, “It is the intention of the Government to balance the duty \ on that wheat, to be covered by a vote ' on the estimates of the Customs Dc- j partment.” I