Parliamentary Notes

Southland Times, Issue 10200, 4 July 1889, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes

[Br TELEGBAPfI.] (FKOM OUR OWN COUUESPO>'DENT.) Wkllinoton, July 3. Mr Feldwick is asking the Government what steps they will take ou the question of a lighthouse on the Suares. He is also asking what the Government intend to do in the matter of annexation of the Macquarie Islands. . Mr R. H. Reeves intends to ask the Government to consider the advisableness of increasing the minimum letter weight to one ounce, and allowing newspapers to pass through the postiree. The Property Assessment Act Amendment Bill provides that all machinery in actual use shall be exempt from the tax, and enables the Commissioner upon receiving the sanction of the Colonial Treasurer to^ remit the whole or any part of the tax in cases of hardship. Power is also given to the^Commissioner to remit taxation upon a building which has not^been occupied for six months, and provision" is made for revaluation within the triennial period upon the application of the Commissioner oi the owner. The Opposition party have decided to abandon their intention of attacking the Government on the property tax question. The' Opposition claim to have a majority against the tax, but admit a minority on a question of no confidence. The Ministerialists, on the other hand, claim a sub'stwtial wajorifcy Qn either issue,

The Representation Bill was circulated to* night. It merely provides the machinery for the election of the" 70 members, exclusive of four Maori members on the Hafe : system. The districts, with the number of members, are as follows :— Northern (comprising the Auckland provincial district), 16, j Central (comprising Wellington, Taranaki and Hawkcs Bay provincial districts), 15; Midland (comprising Nelson, Marlborough, Westland and Canterbury), 21 } Southern (comprising Otago and Southland), 18.