POINTS FROM THE TARIFF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13995, 30 August 1907, Page 5

POINTS FROM THE TARIFF

THE VANISHED HAND.

(From Otjh Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON,. August 29. During the discussion last night on the proposal (o make certain items of. mining machinery subject to duty, some of the representatives of mining constituencies expressed the opinion that tho Jato Mr Seddon, who had alwaye beeji a loyal and faithful champion of tho mining industry, would never liavo submitted sjicli a proposal as that brought forward by the present Government. By way of rc(ort the Minister of Customs remarked, "Tho dead hand does not rule," quoting a phraso need by the late Mr Seddon when referring to the death of a former Prime Minister, tho Into Mr JJallanco. "It is quite beside the question," added Mr Millar, "what tho. late Prime. Minister would or would not have done. I am responsible for my actions here."

BKUMAGEM GREENSTONE. The green-glass imitations of Now Zealand groonstone, a sincere form of flattery of tho genuine article were responsible for a considerable portion of this evening's tariff discussion. The Hon. Mr Guinness moved tho addition .of a. now clause to the bill prohibiting the'importsitionof orniimonls made wholly or partly of. green glass in imitation of greenstone. The proposal was opposed by the Minister of Customs, who said that if the House was going in for preventing the importation of imitation articles it was taking on a pretty big ponrract. Us said that the greenstone industiy was r.ot a verv extensive ono, and there was no need to pass such a clause. Ho had, ho said, power already to deal with the matter by Ordcr-in-Oouncil, and if after watching tho matter for three months ho f ound that there was-any neod for interference he would exercise that power. Numerous examples were given of how the simple faith of tourifile and backblockcrs is sometimes imposed vipon by these imitations, and it was urged that prohibition was the only means of effectually dealing with the practice. Tho motion for tho adoption, of tho clause was carried on the chairmanjs casting vote, but the subsequent motion to add it to tho bill was lost by 33 to 31.