CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT.] AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 141, 11 December 1902, Page 5

CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.— COPYRIGHT.]

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

RELIEF FOR SUFFERERS BY DROUGHT. PROPOSAL FOR" REBATE OF DUTIES. fPBESS ASSOCIATION.! T .. _ SYDNEY, 10th December. in the State Legislative Assembly Mr. Carruthers, Leader of the Opposition, moved, 'lhat with a view to the serious effects of the drought and we failure of the wheat harvest, the Government ought to make provision for the temporary rebate on the payment of duties on breadstuffs and fodder as far as practicable, and for the importation, on a proper guarantee being given tor repayment thereof, of breadstuifs and fodder * Ihe mover referred to the offer made by Mr. Seddon, Premier of New Zealand, to send fodder, and eulogised his dction. The debate is proceeding. SPEECHES OF~THE LEADERS. COMMENT ON MR. SEDDON'S OFFER. (Received December 11, 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. In the course of his speech in moving for a rebate on duties, Mr. Carrutheia said there was nothing to prevent the Government refunding duties on breadstuffs and fodder at once in anticipation' of getting it returned from the Federal Government, or undertaking to- refund duties on importers entering into bonds to sell at a certain margin above the landed price. Referring to Mr. Seddons offer, the speaker said that Mr. Seddon was evidently a man who could occasionally rise to meet questions on broad humanitarian grounds. The Premier (Sir John See), in reply, .read an opinion from the AttorneyGeneral to the effect that a remission of the' fodder duties would be a violation of the Commonwealth Constitution. If any one had asked him under a proper guarantee"* to import fodder, he would have given every facility, but no such request had been made. He declared that the proposal of Mr. Carruthers would lead to interminable difficulty, ami involve the country in the locs of hundreds of thousands of pounds. The only way to give the consumer the benefit would be to abolish the duties. Mr. Scddon's offer, continued the Pre-" mier, was a capital business move, and he would tell him if it could be availed of with advantage to the people of New South Wales, he would avail himself of it. Eventually, after a deal of squabbling and several applications of the closure, an amendment moved by Mr. W. Webster, to the effect that,^ if necessity arises, tlie Government should" import breadstuffs and fodder and sell them at reasonable rates, was carried on the voices. IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION. (Received December 11, 9.30 a.m.) SIDNEY, This Day. The State Legislative Council discussed the exclusion of the felt-hatters, who arrived here recently under engagement to a local manufacturer, and were prevented from landing by the Customs officials. Members severely condemned the action of the Federal Government in applying the Immigration Restriction Act to such a case.