POLICY OF THE MINISTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 15, 18 January 1901, Page 4

POLICY OF THE MINISTRY.

NO DIRECT TAXATION,

FREE TRADE IMPRACTICABLE,

(By Cable.—Press Association.—

Copyright.)

SYDNEY, January 17,

An enthusiastic reception was accorded Mr Barton at Maitland by a large audience assembled to hear him unfold his Federal policy

He said the Ministry was not a one man Ministry, nor men with a shibboleth. It did not include all the men one would have desired, but there were only, seven portfolios. It was not a fact that any pressure had been exercised by any members of the Ministry for inclusion. It was desirable that the Federal Parliament should be master in its own House. Early steps would, therefore, be taken to select the capital site of the Commonwealth. An Old Age Pension Bill would be introduced as soon as the financial situation was clear enough to provide the necessary funds. The wish of the Ministry was for cheaper postage, telegrams and cables. It was absolutely necessary to leave the field of direct taxation to the States. There must be no direct taxation by the Commonwealth, unless in the case of a, great national emergency, and not even then if it could be avoided. He made this declaration in view of the statements by so-called revenue tariffists, that they were threatened with £700,000 of Commonwealth direct taxation as well as Customs. This meant there must be a high tariff however framed. Free trade -was clearly impracticable. The policy of the Ministry was to obtain revenue without destruction of industries. The tariff must be siieh as to maintain employment, not ruin business, a tariff which would yield the sums needed without discouraging production. He pointed out unrestricted competition in Australia would tax the full strength of industries without the unrestricted competition of the world. No one tariff of the six States now in force could claim to exclude its fellows. The highest duties were not to be adopted because they were the highest, or the lowest because they Avere the lowest. Each would have to run the gauntlet of criticism and justify itself. By this means he hoped to present a business man's tariff, a practical working tariff, a really Federal tariff. To avoid disaster, suffering, bitterness, and antagonism, the first tariff ought to be considerate and preservative of existing production, and liberal in attitude towards those engaged in production: In an Atistralian tariff for the Australian nation he would be happy to adopt preferential treatment of British goods where reciprocity was possible. Amongst the measures introduced would be one dealing with the settlement of industrial disputes, extending beyond any one State. He would accept adult suffrage for the Commonwealth. Dealing with the coloured labour question, he said the efforts of the Ministry would be in the direction of a white Australia.