HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3419, 6 December 1879, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Afternoon Sittlnf. Wsllixotox, Last Bight. The House met at 2 30. ' - ~ >. lL THI PKBSS AND TBE TBLBQBinr. The select committee appointed to inquire into the question "of #haifatetlities can bo given by the Government for the use of * the telegraph' by the pablie press reported as Tf6llows':~l. That arrangements having been .made /or the amalgamation of the two''Companies by which special wires were leased from the Government, this Committee, recommended that every facility should be offered by the Government for carrying out such amalgamation without [delay, and that until the expiration or other determination of tbe contract now in force it is unnecessary' to make any recommendation on the subject of facilities afforded to morning papers. ;-2.fThat evening papers should be klldwed.oni thousand words during the day at present rates, and one hundred words' to take precedence of all messages except urgent messages between- half past one aad half past two o'clock; 3. That ai it has been koggested in the evidence that it would be desirable to provide a brire special!j for tbe use of the press,night and day, and the representatives off the various morning and evening papers in the colony be invited.touuite in making proposals which would warrant thf;Department in providing such a wire. THE MISSING SHIP X9OWXBS&T BAU. Mr Hall announced that in reply to a question put the other day, intimation has been received from England that the steamer Comus waa abcmtleavinf for - China, and would call en route at the Crozet Islands, andit was. desired to know if the Government would erects refuge station on these islands.; ;.Mr;Hall added that the Government did no£ feel called upon to contribute, towards the erection of such 'a station. * TO EXTEND OUB BXPOBTS. - - . Mr Wakefield askedthe Government whether they will, daring the reeeis etuse inquiries to be made as to the possibility of introducing New. Zealand timbers iato the European market, and whether tbej will bring in a measure next seision for conservation of forest's and systematical disposal of timber as a source of publio revenue. Air Hall replied that would cause inquiries to be made on the subject, they would also eooaider tht queaof protecting the forests. THB OPPOBITIOKOK THI TBOPBBTY BILL. On the motion for going into committee on the. Property Assessneßt Bill Mr Macandrew said the measure pas one which be looked on as being utterly undesirable, and if those on his,side,df the House would follow his advice they would have nothing to do with it. They would act on the principle, toaeh not, taste not, and handle'not. . ; ... .; .. t f Mr George said that he would at every stage rote against the measure, fitment over Estimates to prove that sufficient reductions conld have been amade< to; meet the exigencies of the colony. Mr JKeeves said that'the bill was simply * blind so as to get the Land Tax Bill removed from the Statute Book.

Had Government been honestly desirous of raising the rerenue by taxation,' the tax on land ouirht to hare been increased.

A beer tax might hare been imposed. On beer alone; k revenue of £100,000 could have been raised.. That would hare.been a voluntary tax as no man jieed " p«t himself outside a pint of beer " iraieii he liked. ■■:■.*'■: -

Mr Speight said it was quite obrions that the.Government nercr intended to bring the measure into fore* as they were told all round the lobbies th«t member shad been rirtualiy coerced into rotjng for the second reading bj the doleful aspect of affairs presented by the Treasurer ;,and the speech delivered by him oh th« secondreading proved 'conclusively that th«J measure could not possibly be brought into operation before Parliament again came into session.

Mr Siranson did not think the Government had hit upon a wise proposal for getting money, but still money had to be got. His object was to record his opinion that the measure wa» not a sham, but oa the contrary it was, to his mind, a atost disagreeable reality, and was rtheir bounded duty to treat it as such. ::H Mr Header Wood aaid the deficit was £600,000, and the Treasurer told them then was no other way to meet tha deficiency than by placing it on the loan. Everyone felt the imposition of this .tax was a serious matter,. and" unhappUjr it would press upon mining ooapantea. The Mosgiei Woollen Factory paid" no dividends on the large capital invested, There were many other concern ij ilk exactly the same position,, and it iru their duty to lay their heads together |nd see if a plan could not. be divised for relieving these : concern* from the opera* tion of the tax. f .". ]', sj* Mr Seddon protested agaMu^tkiapMition of the tax as being nwMtrttsCaiec to the conmuuity he represeated.