CUSTOMS BILL DEBATE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 221, 14 August 1930, Page 2

CUSTOMS BILL DEBATE

MEASURE ENTERS SERIOUS STAGE TWO AMENDMENTS MOVED HOUSE SITS UNTIL LATE HOUR Tlie House of Representatives yesterday debated the Customs Amendment Bill in committee, for several hours, very little fresh criticism being 1 introduced ' until the short title was agreed to at midnight. The measure then entered the stormy' stage, two amendments being moved by the Leader of the Opposition ere the fifth clause was reached. One was defeated by 49 votes to 24 and the other was deferred until the actual schedule affected comes forward. The debate lasted all night, the House rising at. 7 a.m. to-day. Several amendments were agreed to and others lost on the voices. 1 ,

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. DAYLIGHT SAVING PROPOSAL.' WELLINGTON, Aug. 13. The Legislative Council met this afternoon. Hon. G. J. Garland gave notico that on Thursday be would ask the Government if it would favourably consider anamendment to clause 4 of the Summertime Act, 1928, to enable summertime to begin this year on the second Sunday in September instead of the second Sunday in October, as provided by the Act of 1928, and if not, why not. WELFARE OF PRISONERS. The supervision of prisoners after the term of their sentence has expired is proposed in the Crimes Amendment Bill, which was read a first time. It is suggested that persons sentenced to imprisonment or reformative detention for any term not less than twelve months, unless released- on probation in the meantime, shall remain for a further twelve months under the supervision of a probation officer, or a society, committee, or person nominated by the chief probation officer. If a person commits any breach of any conditions imposed on him while under supervision he shall he guilty of an offence punishable on conviction by' a fine of £2O or imprisonment tor three months, and may be arrested without warrant. Any person so convicted shall remain under supervision for a further twelve months from such conviction or from the expiration of any sentence imposed for the offence, whichever is the later. A further section of the Bill provides that a probationary license, issued in accordance .. with the Crimes Amendment Act, 1920, to prisoners other than habitual offenders, may he fqr such term as the Governor-General thinks fit. The term formerly fixed was not to exceed twice the period of the unexpired period of imprisonment. A person on probation or under supervision after the expiration of his sentence may apply to the Prisons Board for the remission or alteration of any of the conditions of his probation or supervision, and, in -the event of the hoard making an order for discharge, the term of probation shall expire trorn the date on which the order is made. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. CUSTOMS BILL AT CONICAL STAGE. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 13. The House wont into Committee this afternoon to deal with the Customs Amendment Bill. Replying to Mr A. the Prime Minister, Hon. G. W- ® said it was not correct to contend that the Government was budgeting for a surplus. It had taken an optimistic view of the situation and had kept its estimated revenue as close to the expenditure as it had been safe to do. In reply to Mr Ansell Mr horbes agreed that rubber soles actually did come into competition with New Zealand leather, hut it would not be possible to give local tanneries protection by a duty on such imports because it would no douht result m rubber being imported in sheets and stamped out into soles in New Zealand. Rubber sheets were already imported for various other purposes and it would not be proper to place a burden on other industries by imposing a duty on sheet rubber. The discussion continued on general lines and the short title had not been passed when the House adjourned at 5 30. Consideration of tlie Customs Amendment Bill was continued in committee when the House resumed at 7.30. Replying to Mr W. Nash, Mr Forbes said he thought the reduction in the duty on watches would be sufficient. He believed there was & handsome profit made on the sale of watches and it ivas not too much to expect firms to yield a little of this return to aid the finances of the country. * * He stated in reply to Mr M. J. Savage that the majority of confectionery manufacturers in the Dominion were satisfied with tlie degree of protection at present afforded their industry. He had heard of only one firm which desired further protection. Mr W. J. Jordan: That firm believes it is faced with dumping. The Prime Minister said there was adequate provision in the Customs Act to deal with dumping. Replying to Mr H. G. Mason, lie said lie believed the duty on wine was sufficient to enable New Zealand growers to hold their own. A TAX COMPARISON. Mr J. McCombs stated that the tax on petrol amounted to more than the total levied in New Zealand, including the hospital. rates. He contended that tlie duty on beer should be increased. There should be no additional cost to the consumer because breweries were at present making huge profits. It would be better to raise revenue this way .than by imposing the burden on industry that was created by the extent of the petrol tax. Mr H. S. Kyle said he understood the breweries intended to pass on the cost of the increased duty to the publicans, who would have to pay it unless they passed it on to the consumer.

Mr H. T. Armstrong pointed out tli'at almost every industry was to some extent dependent on petrol. The increase in the tax created an undue additional burden in this direction and it was also unfair to city and suburban motorists who seldom if ever used the backblock roads. Mr H. M. Rushwortli said the tax on petrol was all right so long as it went hand in hand with a proportionate derating of farm lands. It seemed, however, that the primary producer was "oing to have his burdens mcreased. 1 Mr Forbes said the petrol tax was a

special tax levied for special pu:poses. The backblocks had been neglected so long it was time the roads there .received some attention. In reply to a point raised by Mr McCombs, the Prime Minister expressed the opinion that any further increase in tlie beer duty would be passed on to' the consumer.’ The # working man would have to pay 30s under the Unemployment Bill and the Government did not desire to add too much to his burden. MEAT FOR PETROL. The leader of the Labour Party, Mr H. E. Holland, said he wished to suggest to the Government that it should abandon the petrol tax and undertake State control and distribution of petrol. He believed the majority of the House was united in favour of such a policy. At the Invercargill byelection the Reform candidate had made this a plank in his platform. The Russian oilfields produced an enormous quantity of the product and could market it below world parity. New Zealand, on the other hand, after it had supplied all the meat Britain required still .had to look further afield and he suggested an agreement could he negotiated with Russia for the supply of petrol in return for our meat. Mr Holland.stated that the price of petrol in the United States averaged twelve cents. The value of the spirit when it reached New Zealand was 7id per gallon and vet the wholesale price was Is lOd for first grade and Is 9d for second grade. He asked what was the reason for the wide margin between these figures. The short title was passed at midnight and an amendment to the first schedule, to permit certain animal foods, including cattle cakes, to be imported duty free was moved by Itt. Hon. J. G. Coates. ’ After a discussion the amendment was defeated by 45 votes to 29. Mr Coates moved another amendment relating to the petrol tax and sought to have the question held over until the Government had a chance to bring down legislation providing for a more equitable distribution of both road construction and maintenance costs upon taxpayers and users. Discussion on the amendment was deferred until the resolution affected was reached. . ■. •- • -■ 1 —— ' UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE. WELLINGTON, Aug. 13. Urgent unemployment relief is to receive the attention of the Government, according to a promise by the Pume Minister in the'House ot ltepresentatives during the pa&sage of the last Imprest Supply Act. The Minister of Labour, Hon. b. U. Smith, gave notice in the House todav to move to set up a special committee “to inquire into unemployment and the conditions relating thereto, and to make recommendations for the better organisation and more expeditious application of relief.” . The committee is to comprise Mr Smith, Hon. JL. A. Ransom, Mr W. P. Endean, Mr J. N. Massey, Mr J. T. Hogan, Mr B. Semple and Mr D. G. Sullivan.

AN ALL NIGHT SITTING. PROTECTION OF CEMENT. Per Press Association. < WELLINGTON, Aug. 14. Consideration of the Customs Amendment Bill in Committee occupied the first all-night- sitting in- the House of Representatives this session. Mr D. Jones intimated that lie wished to move for a reduction of the duty on cement from Is to 6d per cwt., and, as .a preliminary, lie moved that the original duty be repealed. It was argued that the need for protection of the cement industry in New Zealand had largely disappeared. Other members claimed, however, that it would he unfair to take away the. protection without giving notice to tlie firms concerned, which were employing a large number of men. Mr C: A. Wilkinson pointed out that there had been a steady reduction in the prices under the tariff. The leader of the Labour Party, Mr H. E. Holland, moved an amendment that it be a recommendation to the Government that the whole position in relation to the production of cement be investigated during the recess for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the duty was necessary for the preservation of the industry. The Prime Minister undertook to have such an inquiry made and 'both amendments were thereupon withdrawn. TARIFF ON ONIONS. Mr R. A. Wright drew attention to tlie tremendous increase, from £1 10s to £4 per ton, in the duty on onions in the general tariff. He said foreign onions came in at a time when local onions were out of season and he did not think it would interfere with the New Zealand article if the proposal were eliminated.

Mr H. T. Armstrong said Japan and America regarded New Zealand as a dumping ground for their surplus onions.

An amendment, moved by Mr Wright, seeking to reduce the duty to £1 ss, was lost on the voices. Mr W. E. Barnard moved a reduction of the duty on foreign watches from 35 to 30 per cent. He contended that the trade was making only a reasonable profit. » The Prime Minister said he had no objection to making an alteration to 30 per cent and the amendment was carried. Mr Wilkinson moved that the duty on English electric light globes be reduced from 6d to 3d for lamps exceeding 80 watts and not exceeding 180 watts, and on Mr Forbes agreeing. to this, the amendment was carried. DUTY ON MOTOR VEHICLES. Mr M. J. Savage moved that the duty of 10 per cent British preferential and 40 per cent general"tariff on mo-

tor-vehicles be amended to provide that in the former case unassembled parts shall be admitted free, and assembled parts at 71’ per'cent; while in the case of the general tariff unassembled parts be admitted at 25 per cent and assembled parts at '4O per cent. He asserted that such alteration would give an impetus to the local motor body building industry and provide additional employment.- It would also give greater British preference. The Prime Minister stated • that it would involve a loss of revenue amounting to over £400,000, because all the outside firms would send unassembled parts to New Zealand to he completed here. Mr W. Nash said it was physically impossible for the necessary plant to he provided within a year and the loss of revenue would not amount to anything like the sum mentioned by the Prime Minister. Even if it did, it would provide so much employment that the decrease of revenue would be justified. There would also be an increased demand for local upholstery, paint, etc. The amendment ,\vas defeated by. 40 votes to 23. BURDEN ON ROAD USERS. Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates moved that the proposal to increase the petrol tax be referred back to the Government for further consideration with a view to the Government giving an assurance that the money would be used for casing the burden and costs of tlie users of the road and the.ratepayers. The amendment was ruled out of order as it related to a clause of the Bill which had not yet been reached. Mr Wrigth then moved that the tax be reduced to 5d per gallon. Mr A. Harris moved a further amendment to reduce the tax to 4d, but this wns ruled out of order on the ground that it would in effect amount to restoration of the tax which had been repealed when the first part of the schedule was disposed of. Mr Forbes stated that if Mr Wriglrt’s amendment were carried there would be a shortage of money for local bodies and they would have to go without. He did not propose to treat the matter as one of no-confidence.

Mr Coates asked why. the local bodies should be singled out to suffer for the shortage of funds. Why should there not be pro rata economies applied to other departments? Mr Wilkinson said there were other ways of getting money. He objected to members of a useful section of the community being crushed out of existence. Mr Jones said that if the Prime Minister could not find the money to carry oil the affairs of the country, there was only one thing for him to do. Hon. W. A. Veitch stated that the finance for which the Government could be held responsible was not involved in tlie present case. What was involved was the finance for the Main Highways Board. The debate on the amendment continued till 7 a.m. when the Prime Minister moved to report progress. The House then adjourned till 2.30 this afternoon.