EVENING SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5337, 15 August 1895, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE TARIFF. The Hon J. G. Wabd moved that the Orders of the Day should be postponed in order that the House should go into Committee of Ways and Means. He eaid that he did it in order to enable Captain Eassell to bring down an amendment, notice of which he- had given that afternoon. He had no doubt that Captain Russell would give ' them an opportunity of voting on his . amendment. . . It was quite obviouß that after the speeches of members on the Budget they should be allowed to ' vote on this Amendment. He said that any amendments to be made in the tariff could be made in committee, and he instanced a case in which Sir J. Yogel had taken that course in the House some years ago.. Sir H. Atkinson also bad taken a similar courßO when Colonial Treasurer. He proposed to move in committee certain resolutions, one of which was that the duty on flannelettes should, after August 15, 1895. be 10 per cent ad valorem, and the duty on flannelette shirting should, after August 15, cease altogether. The loss of revenue by this proposal would be about JB3OOO, but it meant that the Government would not incur this loss at the instigation of its opponentp, but by the advice of its friends. The question now before the House meant confidence or no-confidence in the Government, and wbb the effect of Captain Bussell's resolution. He said that he should move hia resolution on going into Committee of Ways and Means, and he wished it to be understood that the responsibility for the crisis that had arisen that day was owing to Captain Bussell's action. Captain Russbll said that he was deeply impressed with the grave responsibility cast on him by the Treasurer. He said that he should follow the usual course in not debating the resolutions involving a ohange in tariff, as by doing so the wasting of several days might ensue, and that course might mean that the whole Customs duties might be disarranged and all flannelette in the colony taken out of bond. He would not take the responsibility of disarranging all the Treasurer's finance in that way. He was not prepared to move his resolution that night, but wquld do so when the Tariff -Bill came down to the House and not before. He was not going to allow the Government to arrange any lino of action be proposed to take in the House. These repeated declarations mating no-confidence resolutions of ordinary motions were becoming farcical, and if the Premier were not eertun of being supported by a large majority on every conceivable question he would not be so ready in taking up matters of this kind ab no-confidence motions. The Hon R. J. Seddon said that Captain Eussell's action waß prompted by a deaire for office, but he hoped that the honourable gentleman would regain the Treasury benches by honourable means, and not endeavour to improvise an opportunity by a motion of this kind. The Liberal Party was determined to paes a tariff thiß sesßion that would benefit their commerce and industries for years to come. The Government, was determined not to allow the Liberal Party to be misrepresented in the eyes of their con-; stituents and the colony, and would not. allow Captain Busaell and the Bmall band that followed him to get on the Treasury benches by these means. - Sir B. Stout said that it was wellknown that the adjournment of the | House that afternoon was asked to enable the Government to hold a caucuß of its supporters, and the reason why the Premier was bo courageous now was because his party, many of whom stated yesterday that they would not support the tariff, were now prepared to swallow it wholesale. He thought that Captain Russell was to be congratulated on his position, because he had accomplished what no leader of the Opposition bad done before, and bad aotually made Ministers run away. He felt sure that the workers in the colony were generally indebted to Captain Russell for Securing them BWJU an enormous advantage in getting the duty taken off articles used by them. His opinion was that Captain Russell had Bcored a great victory by his amendment. The Hon W. P. Beeves said that, in 1885, they saw a Government accept a slap in the face on the tariff, then call a meeting of its and then bring down a fresh tariff altogether. That was done by the senior member for Wellington. He ridiculed the idea of the Government running away from a leader with only sixteen men at his back and about twenty altogether. His colleague, the Treasurer, had promised to accept amendments in committee, and he had actually been attacked for doing so. He asked why Captain Russsell did not wait till the Tariff Bill came down before moving his resolution, and.the Government in taking its present action showed that it wanted to act in concert with that gentleman. After Dr Newman had spokes, the motion to go into committee was carried by 61 to B. The Hon J. G. Wabd then moved — " That in lieu of the duty imposed by the House on July 30, 1895, on flannelette, flannelette shirting, imitation flannels, raised cotton and soft spun piece goods, there shall be levied, except for flannelette shirting, on Augußb 15, 1895, a duty of 10 per cent ad valorem, and that the duty on flannelette shirting shall cease after August 15, 1895." Mr T. Mackenzie moved that the duty should be taken off flannelette altogether. After discussion, Mr Mackenzie withdrew his amendment. The Hon J. G. Ward's resolution was then put and carried on .the voices. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Mr Mills resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. He contended that the actions of the Government and their Budget proposals found favour with the country. Mr Buchanan criticised the Budget proposals adversely at considerable length. Mr Carncboss thought that the Statement should meet with the approval of a large majority of the House, Bimply • because it did not contain any startling proposals. | Mr M'Nab moved the adjournment of | the debate. I The motion was agreed ta, and the Houbo rose at 12.20 a.m.