Official Record of the Debates (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 Excerpt: ... proposed to impose duties of Customs. That would enable a financial proposal to be submitted, and would not be open to the objections pointed out by the hon. member Mr. Barton, that it would be dealing separately and independently with excise duties which in the interests of the States might be dealt with separately, because in one State it might be to its interest to do so, though it might not be in another State. It might be to the interest of South Australia to have excise duties on tobacco, but it may not be on other articles. Mr. REID: They should be taken together because we want to do away with these local combinations causing strifes over one impost as against another, and deal with the question in a broad national spirit. Mr. Symon: We want to prevent unpatriotic combinations. Sir JOHN DOWNER: In this matter we are fighting over again the question as to whether the Senate shall have power to deal with Money Bills or not. Here is the first attempt to fritter away the right of the Senate in this matter. There will be cases in which the subjects of import and excise must be very largely mixed up, and it may be highly proper to consider the two things together. Where is the difficulty in having two Bills before the Senate, where is the difficulty in their internal arrangements which prevents them from dealing with them? Mr. Mcmillan: They might reject one and accept the other. Sir JOHN DOWNER: If we are to force the Government to bring up its financial resolutions piecemeal instead of in one Bill it would be a highly inconvenient thing to the Government. 1 can understand every gentleman present who is a Minister in office now, and who has these things brought more immediately before his mind at the moment, taking this view. We ought not, however: o sa...