THE TARIFF INCIDENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9436, 7 September 1907, Page 5

THE TARIFF INCIDENT.

REGARDED AS CLOSED.

PREMIER'S FOLLOWING AGAIN IN

[Bi Telegraph. — Special to Swe.]

WELLINGTON, September 6.

'Hie. polucal tension arising wit of Wednesday's voto adverse to the Government proposal to place a, duty of 5 per cent on mining machinery lias caved down. Members of Liberal Party who voted against tlio Government, and those who abstained from voting were able to satisfy the Premier that they lad no intention on the one hand of combining with tin© Opposition and on tlie other iiand of desdring to igriorte party allegiance or place the Government in £t false position. TlieiT explanations were considered satisfactory, and the Premier openly staled so in the House this afternoon. . The- Premier liad serious thoughts of asking for a dissolution at ones time, and according to good authority had approached the Governor on the subject, but it now appears that unless his followers show fui'ther defection on policy points he will net take extreme measures. Thera are some- wiho think that the dissolution was raised as a bogey, but at anyxatc it appeal's to have bad a ealutatry effect from a Ministerial point of view, and now "ev^rytliing in the> garden is lovely." Meanwhile the tariff has been put seivienth on tho Order Paper, and no intimation has been given ac to what the Premier proposes to do '•with the Bill. It may be assumed, htov/fever, that it will come on again sliortly and wiljL bo passed without further serious trouble^

In connection with the leading airticSe in the Tamos this morning, expressing contempt for the attitude of members who on Wednesday reversed the vote given on j):achinery duty when previously in. Committee of Way* and Means, and stigmatising their attitude towcids tho Premier, Sir J. G. Watrd to-day repudiated any responsibility for its appearance and assorted it was in no way inspired. In addition to being satisfied with, the attitude of his supporters after their explanation, hfi as&eirted that it* Speaker had al-wa-ys acted with the strictest impartiajlity and had a perfect light in Ciommitee to cocercsisfi his right as ai member in any way ho thought fit. The incident may now be said to be closed.