PARLIAMENT AT WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1927, Page 7

PARLIAMENT AT WORK

THE SAMOAN GRIEVANCES PROMISE OF A STATEMENT DISCUSSION OF THE TARIFF By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. When tho House of Representatives met this afternoon, the Prime Minister, replying to Mr. T. M. Wilford, said the headlines to an article on Samoa, published in the Morning Post, London, did not correctly set out the position. They were merely a copy of the headlines to a petition and the High Commissioner had. dealt trenchantly with this form of misrepresentation. He was glad Mr. Wilford had brought the matter up because the Morning Post article Ayas not a correct resume of the position, either then or now. Replying to th,e Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister said he would indicate in a day or two whether the committee" set up to inquire into the Samoan grievances would report to the House. He would also state what had been done with the evidence taken before the Samoan Committee. With regard to what was known as the Maui Fund that was being organised by the Citizens’ Committee, that was a matter that rested with the Administrator, and if he could get the necessary information about it, he would include it in a statement which he would make to the House in a few days. Replying to Mr. Wilford, the Prime Minister said the duties named in the Customs resolution would constitute duties as soon as the resolutions were passed by the House. They would then remain the Customs duties until the House varied them. The Prime Minister moved and it was agreed, that on and after Wednesday, September 14, and for the remainder of the session, Government business take precedence on Wednesdays, from 2.30 p.m. PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS. Mr, P. Fraser asked whether it was true that the Prime Minister had promised to give Government time to certain private members’ Bills, such as the Bible in Schools and the Gaming Bill, and, if so, would he be prepared also to give time to other measures of equal imj rtance. Mr. W. A. Veitch drew attention to the Dairy Produce Export Control Bill which, he claimed, was so important that he was entitled to have a vote upon it. Mr. G. Forbes asked what was to be the order of business and when the session was likely to come to an end. The Prime Minister, replying, said he would take an early opportunity of stating to the House what* business would be likely to be brought before Parliament during the remainder of the session. With regard to Mr. Veitch’s Dairy Bill, he was by no means optimistic. He thought members had had a better opportunity than ever before of bringing their Bills before the House. Members must blame themselves for the present position. The opportunity had been taken by some members to block other members’ Bills from being passed. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central): You helped too! The Government had given no indication that it would give an opportunity for the consideration of Mr. T. K. Sidey’s Summer Time Bill. Mr. Lysnar (Gisborne): You will exhaust all the days with that! The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates also mentioned the Religious Exercises Bill as one that would be assisted. Mr. Fraser: Why? Mr. Coates: The Gaming Bill will also be given a day. Mr. Fraser: Why these two? Mr. Coates said he hoped the House would have an opportunity to discuss those Bills. Mr. Fraser: Why the Religious Exercises Bill? Does the Government support it? THE TARIFF RESOLUTIONS. When the House resumed at 7.30, the Minister of Customs moved that the House go into committee of ways and means to consider the resolutions amending tho Customs Tariff. The Minister made a statement reviewing the proposed alterations. At the conclusion of the Minister’s statement, Mr. M. J. Savage said it was impossible to discuss the resolutions in detail, but he would like to learn what the Government really had in mind. Was the tariff to' be revenueprodueing, or was it for the laudable purpose of - encouraging industries 1 He feared that the British preferential tariffs would bo only a paper provision, since trade would go to the countries to which money was lent, if the tariff was meant to assist industry aud so develop/employment, then it was worth supporting. Mr. Savage commented oh the small amount of business done between New Zealand and Australia. He criticised the incidence of timber duties, arguing that some safeguard was desirable for the people against higher prices being charged by New Zealand sawmillers. Mr.’G. W. Forbes said that farmers and manufacturers had lately been passing resolutions in favour of a reduction of duties other than those on British goods. Any tariff intended to be pro tective of industries tended to create a monopoly within tho country, and there should bo an efficient board of trade io see that tho people were not subjected to higher prices for protected goods. Sir Joseph Ward hoped the Minister would furnish a more convenient statement of the proposals. So far as ho eould see there was no reduction in preference to British goods. The preference was only given by increasing die tariff on foreign goods. What was needed was a reduction in the British preferential duties, otherwise the consumer could not expect any benefit in the prices he had to pay for goods. HIGH TARIFF WALLS. So far as he could see, the relief granted in tho tariff was not going to benefit the man whose Income tax had lately been increased. He urged that the imposition of a high tariff wall would mean an increase in the cost of articles to the consumer. Mr. H. E. Holland hoped that when the Bill was introduced it would do something to conserve the interests of the people of New Zealand and those engaged in production of goods peculiar to New Zealand, Safeguards like that applied to tho increase of wheat should be provided in the .timber and other in-

dustries. He etressed the need for complete Empire reciprocity. It we granted preference in trade we should get similar • concessions in the financial market. Mr. Harris thought it unwise to exclude foreign trade by unduly raising the preference to British goods. He deprecated the remission on raw cotton -as likely to damage the local woollen industry by opening the way to a mixture of cotton "with the wool. Mr. T. M. Wilford said the Minister claimed that the proposals were made for a reduction of tho cost ’of living and, at present, members could 'not gainsay that. Ho was, however, disappointed at the small amount of benefit motor body building concerns received under the proposals. New Zealand could; produce motor bodies as good as any to be found anywhere, and the encouragement of local builders would increase tho available employment. All parts of tho Empire should do their utmost to spend their money, as far as possible, among themselves. Mr. Wilford said there lately bad been a tendency 'in New Zealand to build up associations corresponding to what the Americans call trusts, and these tended to limit production. Mr. W. J. Girling commended the encouragement given to the woollen manufactures of New Zealand. Tho discussion was carried on by Messrs. W. E. Parry, W. A. Veitch and E. J. Howard, and after the Minister had briefly replied the resolutions were agreed to. Tho Minister of Justice moved and It was agreed, that tho amendments made in the War Disabilities Removal Bill be disagreed with. Members were appointed to confer with members from the Council.

The House rose at 11 p.m. till 2.30 p.tn. to-morrow. b “