MORE TARIFF RESOLUTIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 2170, 26 September 1895, Page 20

MORE TARIFF RESOLUTIONS

The new tariff drags its slow leogth along, and to-d *y its puail's progress wa9 marked by yet a fre?h .«et of resolutions, in crdcr to confirm a ruling of the Speaker's of yesterday, and bring the ecliedulu iulo line with tho bill. The Treasurer entreated the Houae to tike the new resolutions as formal, in order that the Comniittc* singe of the bill might be reachci, but they heedt d him not, and amendm^n^a came thirk and fftot, Mr Millar leadiug off. He was of opinion that certain articles were not included in the tariff that should be, particularly beer ; and he also wanted to know*, in view of 'eaent ruling, what were the rigbtt uf a lnembur in at-sistiog to detormiue taxation ? The Premier bruthed aside the amendment aa fit only for a debating Bocieby, and expressed a hope that the business of the oounrry wculd be proceeded with. He wai unperturbed when the rretnber for Chalmers culled for a division, for he knew he had a big majority despite the malcouteuts of the left wing and the Temperance patty, and ao by 33 to 22 the motion was negatived. Next came Mr Thomas MA< v kenzip, who wanted oertain flannelette i admitted duty free aud others Hib]%ct to 10 per cent , but by 4-2 to 17 hia wish was negatived. He waa more fortunate, however, with hia next attack, which was tbat, during the period from the 30bh April to the 30t'i November in each year no duty exceeding a halfp.'-nny per pound be levied upon apples or pe*r*, thii being carried by 30 to 20 ; and Inter, when the bill was in Cammitttfe, the same amendment w;ss carried upon 4 a similar division. Mr Maslin would have rice free of duty, and said so, but the Premier iv his Rrnceful way told him he was wasting time, and by 34 to 24 the rice duty was retained. Napier has a longstanding grievance as to the duby paid upon the cement used for its harbour works. Tbus it came that Mr Carnell and Cuptaiu Ruaaell essiyed to get cement freed from duty, but after a long discussi"n, during which the Treasurer said that he had computed that at the rate of progress for the day it would take 35 days to ppfsa the bill, free cement waa l'sb ro Ndpier by 36 to 19. Then the member for Cha'mers once more had a tilt at the whisky party, moving to add a new clause that all spirits imported into the coloay be kept in bond for three years, but was ruled out of order. Hr could bring it up when the bill waa in Committee. Mr Roderick M'Kenzie would reduce the duty on candles from 25 per cent to 10 per cent;., and by 35 votes to 18 he waa denied, and a little later on we got to dinner without the resolutions bt-ing reported, much to the chagrin of the Premier.