PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13996, 31 August 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

1 NOTES PROM. THE PRESS GALLERY.. (Fnoit Our Own Correspondent.) ' ELLINGTON. August 30. i This evening, when .tho Ladies Gallery was well filled, tho Houso by a coincidence had arrived ht that stage of.tho.tarift which dealt with silks, satins, ribbons, lace,".-and other dear to the feminine heart. Members exhibited, a surprising acquaintance foith some of these articles. "I know something ahout silks and ribbons," said Mr Hardy.- . " They aro not'necessary; but women s stockings—(" Oh!"), —they arc very lie pessary."—(Laughter). The debate -turned largely on hosiery,; and eventually drifted as far as ladies' tongues. "I love to hear the ladies' tongues," said Mr I'latman; they are sweeter than—" The rest of tho sentence was lost in a burst of uproarious laughter. BEER AND SUGAR. When the item "sugar" was reached on the tariff this afternoon Mr Poole moved to ox'olude " 6ugar used for manufacturing beer from tho free list. - In'the course of the discussion that ensued the Minister of Customs said the proposal could be given effect to only by turning the brciycries into bonds. And why not?" asked the Hon. Mr (ruinncss. He pointed out that each month the brewers were required to furnish a return of tho materials used by them, and lie considered it would thus be very easy to arrive at the amount of sugar used in tho breweries. "They should not. uso sugar 'at all then; we should have beer, was- Mr Ilornsby's brief contribution to Iho debate. "When I came into the House, said Mr Poolo, " P came pledged to a platform of reduction of the duties on tho necessaries of life, Ileer is not a neecssary; it is one of the luxuries of life. Souk* people, he added, "make a necessity of beer. They like it, because there are no bones in it.'HUughtcr.) The breweries, he said, were receiving big profits from Ihoir business, and he thought that they shoukl make a fair contribution to the revenue. It was better, he : said that the Minister should have the amount involved and apply it to making concessions 'in other directions. The Houso did not respond to tho hon. member's appeal, his amendment being rejected by 33 to 24votes.