COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 899, 19 August 1910, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

: __> —i PRESS CABLE SUBSIDY. By Teleeraph -Frees A Bsociatlon-OopyrUrhl •-•' ' Melbourne, August 18. In the. Federal House of Representatives there, was a lengthy debate on an application for leave to .introduce the Cable Subsidy Bill. Mr. Bruce Smith' -maintained that the Government had no right to pay six thousand, pounds to help .papers to get news. They were commercial ventures, and should. get their • own news. The .subsidy would-be simply a bonus for the press. '•.• ... •. ••. '..;■ '

Mr. Deakin thought a better way would be to reduce the cable rates for the press," and thus involve the Government in no responsibility, if a subsidy were given the Government would be responsible lor the character of the news . given. He supported the' Bill, but claimed that a bitter competition was. needed. • The debate was adjourned. MANUFACTURE OF PATENTS. . Melbourne, August'lß. . The Federal Prime. Minister, Mr. Fisher, says that the Government intends to see that within a reasonable timo patentees shall manufacture in Australia or forfeit some of their advantages. ■ • If the Government had power,, he added, it would nationalise the production of iron and steel. THE NOTE'ISSUE. Melbourne, August 18. In order the banks, the Federal Minister intends to'deliver notes' and accept gold for the first issue in each State capital, instead of in Melbourne only, as at first announced. THE DEFENCE BILL. (Rec. August 19, 1.15 a.m.) Melbourne, August 18. The second reading of the Defenco Bill was moved in the Sonato by the Minister for Defence, Senator Pearce, to-day. The Minister's speech consisted largely of an elaboration of Uio details already cabled. He estimated the ultimate cost of the schemo at c£2,000,000, as against Lord Kitchener's estimate of X' 1,800,000 per annum. '