AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Mataura Ensign, 15 December 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

i « i | TARIFF AMENDMENTS. ! B* ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT. PER CNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. MELBOURNE, Dec. 14. The Federal House sat all night dis-: cussing the tariff. The proposal to ad-; mit New Zealand white pine, undressed,, j for butter boxes, in sizes of not less than ' i sft by sin, nor exceeding 14ft by l£m, 1 but not cut to shape, free; and timber j undressed, cut to size for box-making, | at 4s per 100 superficial feet, met with j 'strong opposition. It was contended I that' the proposal would seriously injure! the box-making trade, and give the butter industry an advantage over the fruit industry. r i Mr Groom claimed that Queensland. could supply all the butter box timber i required. I | Mr Denton said he thought a friendly spirit might be shown to New Zealand in this matter, apart from tariff considerations. He favored the imposition of 4s on partly-dressed timber, but New Zealand white pine was used as raw material in other industries which produced household necessities. In the course of the discussion Mr Tudor suggested that white pine, any size, should come in at 6d per 100 superficial feet, and all other New Zealand) pine should fall in at the same rate as' other timber. The Ministry considered ; that New Zealand pine should not be, treated differently from other timber. i Apparently, however, the Government! had knocked against one or two vested interests. Mr Tudor's compromise making New Zealand white pine undressed, n.e.i., ; dutiable at 6d per 100 superficial feet, iwas adopted. This allows white pine j to come in for fruit boxes as well as for ! butter boxes. j Received December 15, 10.35 a.m. I MELBOURNE, Dec. 15. | The debate on the tariff amendments ;is not concluded in the House of Re- ' preventatives. The Protectionists declared that the' proposals were too mild and the Free- i traders required them as unwarranted taxation. UPROAR IN PARLIAMENT. Received December 15. 10.35 a.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 15. The Legislative Assembly was still discussing the Estimates early this morning. At the item, the Speaker's salary, occasion was taken for long and short Opposition comment on the Speak- ! er's alleged misdeeds which led to an uproar, members hurlins: uneompli-' mentarv epithets across tho Chamber ; for a while, the deputy-Chairman of; Committees being unable to control the House. Finally the item was forced by the application of tho closure. In the Legislative Council the Government representative announced that ■t was not intended to proceed with the Stamp Duties Bill until the House iiects in February. The question ofj tho constititionality of the tax on boat j fares had been raised and the Government would await the Crown law officers' opinion.