NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 91, 15 August 1873, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF EEPEESENTATIVES. "Wellington, August 14. In the House to-day, Mr. O' Conor asked the Postmaster- General whether the Government would extend the postal communication to the townships of Hampden and Matakitaki. The Minister replied that the first was not necessary, and the second place had only three hundred and sixty letters for the year. The Reporting Debates Committee intend to bring before the House a question relative to the Speaker's right to suppress in the House a portion of a letter from the editor of the Evening Post to him. In committee, Sir E. D. Bell (the Speaker) spoke at length, advocating the principle of the ad valorem system. He criticized the budget, and said that last session £120,000 had been charged to the loan account for capitalization of interest, instead of being provided for out of current revenue. Mr. Vogel said the principle of the tariff was right. An income-tax was objectionable, as it would bear heavily on .conscientious people. A property-tax would prevent improvement and hinder settlement. The liabilities of the colony were not heavy, and could be doubled or trebled without serious mischief to the colony. Mr. Eeynolds, iv reply to Mr. Johnston, said the Melbourne valuation should be placed on goods*direct from Victoria. Mr. Johnston, in discussing the schedule of the bill, moved an amendment to the effect that the uniform duties should be reduced to seven and a-half instead of ten per cent.