POLITICS IN THE SISTER COLONIES.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 52, 29 August 1895, Page 2

POLITICS IN THE SISTER COLONIES.

|>MBB ASSOCIATION. | Bbisbane, 28th August. At a meeting of the Government supporters, the Premier said that after providing for all oontingenoies there would be between £300,000 and .£500,000 available to expend on reproductive works. This amount, he said, would be ohiefiy used on railway extension. Adelaide, 28th August. The Labour representatives in the Legislative Assembly have deoided not to support the Government proposals for the further reduction of the salaries of Civil Servants, and propose instead to re-enaot last year's Salary Aot, and add Z\ per oent. to eaoh grade which started at .£l5O. As a set-off for the loss of revenue, they advooate an inorease of id per £ in the Land Tax or an increase in Succession Duties. The Register says ihe general opinion as to the Budget speech is that the proposals of the Government are inadequate to stop the drift in the finanoes, and bring about an adjustment of accounts. The chief complaint, it says, is against the continuation of a harassing polioy with regard to Civil Servants, and that the Government makes no attempt to deal in a businesslike way with the Service, whioh is palpably over-manned. (Reoeived August 29, noon.) Hobabt, This Dat. In the Legislative Assembly the Income Tax Bill has been read tbe sooond time, and the Land Tax Bill has passed through Committee, exoept one clause dealing with mortgages. Bbisbane, This Dat. In tap Legislative Assembly, Mr Powers announced that he had been appointed Leader of the Opposition. The Labour Leader had promised him the general support of his Party. Mr. Pounds' Electoral Reform Bill has been rejeoted by 36 to 30. Stdnxt, This Dat. In the Legislative Assembly, the Premier moved the seoond reading of the Land and Income Tax Bill. He said it waß praotioally the same as that previously introduced. The main alteration was that there wonld be three Commissioners instead of one in oharge. The Collecting Department would be worked in conjunction with other departments, and wonld, therefore, entail few fresh appointments and little additional expense. Other alterations made it olear that no part of the Absentee Tax could be passed on by an absentee to any resident interested in the taxed lands. Mutual life insuranoe policies had been exempted from Income Tax, bnt the amount of premiums on life insuranoe on whioh the taxpayer was exempted was reduced from '.£75 to J6SO. The Income Tax had been altered so as not to inolude estimated returns derivable from improvements required for business purposes. Mr. Lyne, Leader of the Opposition, said the general outlook was of a gloomy'desoription. The result of the debate so far shows that considerable opposition may pc expeoted; even from a number of Government supporters, as to the incidence of the taxes. In the Legislative) Counoil, the AttorneyGeneral explained the provisions of the Bill for the reform of the Counoil, and it was read the first time. Mr. Pigott moved that the statement made by the Premier at a publio meeting that the Council is a rotten and oorrupt House was soandalous and false. He complained that Mr. Reid had repeatedly made equally strong statements just before going to the country on the question of Connoil reform. They were as scandalous as false. The Counoil must clear itself of the imputations. The Attorney-General said it was simply eleotipn talk ; worce things hud been Bald about Mr. Eeid. Councillors had no right to attaoh to the words the meaning they attributed to them. The motion was carried by 26 to 8, the majority of the latter being new members