PARLIAMENTARY

Inangahua Times, 30 September 1915, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY

Th« Budget Debate

Pss Vmm Assgoiat£oa.

WELLINGTON, Sept 29

The sec hd rearJin of ine! Budget was carried on voices, and the House went into commit-1 tee on the BM'. I At clause 33, Mr Pearce moved to strike the clause-out as an indication that the beer duCy should be increased to 6d per gallon. ; The amendment was lost by 48t09. ... . ~ The remaining clauses passed without opposition and compare tively little discussion.. M 3.30 a.m. the Bill wag reported with verbal amendments, On the House resuming, the amendments made were agreed to. On the motion for the third reading, Mr Webb defended the L- hour Party against the charge th;*t they favoured Single Tax. Mr McCombs declared that as the result of the Budget, the cost of living would be raised by a million pounds, or at the rate of £$ per family. Messrs Pearce, Harris, Field (Nelson) and Dr Newman also srjoke Sir j. G, Ward, in reply, said no sane man could say the Budget put burdens on the working classes. Compared with the British workman, the imposts put upon them were extremely light, therefore the criticisms by extremisls inside and outside of the House, were undeserved. As a matter of fact, the Budget was taking £33,200 from land owners of the Dominion. That, he thought, was sufficient for one section. Anyone who wanted to take more came precious near being single taxers. With regard to the increase on the Beer Duty, he resisted it because information in his possession convinced him that if the duty was increased, many of the smaller brewers must close, and leave the larger breweries in a more secure monopoly than ever. The change in the method of assessing the beer duty was en* tirdyatthe request of the Customs officials, and it was not true that the brewers met the members of the National Cabinet forrthe purpose of arranging the rate. The third reading was then carried, and the Bill passed. The House rose at 4.5'5 until 7.36 P.m.