LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 248, 13 July 1908, Page 7

LABOUR.

COMMONWEALTH AND STAIE FINANCES. NEW PROTECTION. GRADUATED UNIMPROVED VALUE TAX. (by telegraph—press AssomrnoN—copyright.) Brififcane, July 11. The Conference of the Federal Labour party has concluded. A b:if;is of adjustment of the financial relations 'botween the Com-1 monwealth and the States was adopted. It provides (1) That the proportion of revenue ' allocated to tho Commonwealth must bo sufficient to cover all existing expenditure, apart from reproductive sorvices, also to cover old-age and invalid pensions throughout tho Commonwealth. (2) That an additional sum, not to oxcood a million, be allocated to tho Commonwealth to meet the expanding necessities of tho Commonwealth Government, such as the creation of a Federal capital, railway undertakings and development of tho Northern Territory. (3) That the amounts to be re-'' turned by the Commonwealth to the States be fixed on; a per capita basis, with a further capitation allowance to West Australia (the latter's allow- . ance gradually diminishing to the " • level of , that of'the other States),owing to tho exceptional position'ofWost Australia.; An amended fighting platform was adopted. It contains tho following nine,planks:— Maintenance of a White Australia. New Protection. Nationalisation of monopolies. 1 , Graduated tax on tho unimproved . value of' land. . A citizen defence force. A Commonwealth Bank. Restriction of publio borrowing. Navigation laws. .: An Arbitration Act Amendment,}.,,, A resolution was carried expressing- borrow at the retirement from politics of Mr/ : ,J. C. Watson (ex-Leader), and appreciation of his ! great services to the Labour movement.