FEDERAL POLICY. PREMIER ON PUBLIC MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 23, 28 January 1908, Page 7

FEDERAL POLICY. PREMIER ON PUBLIC MATTERS

WANT OF CO-OPERATION. THE QUESTION OF DEFENCE. Dy Telegraph. — Press Association. — Copyright. (Received January 28, 9.38 a.m.) ' MELBOURNE, This Day. The Prime Minis tor (Mr. Deakin), in a speech at the Australian Natives' Association, referred to the want of cooperation between the States and the Federation. He took as instances the State debts and immigration, and complained that the Federal Government had not been furnished with that practical fullness of information which would enable them to' bring to those shores streams of immigrants month by month. Industrial legislation was divided up between seven Legislatures. Mr. Deakin also instanced agriculture, where a central bureau was wanted to co-ordinate the different problems ; and quarantine, on which there was not yet that complete action and reaction that should follow Federal legislation. Dealing with naval defences, the Premier said Australia was not content to have it done by contract, or merely to contribute to Admiralty ships under Admiralty control, whether the contribution takes the form of men or money or both ; but aspired to see an Australian flotilla built as far as possible in Australia by Australian money, and manned by Australian men. Only in this way could they discharge their duty to themselves and tho Empire Australia was not content that its flotilla should pass over automatically from its control to the Admiralty immediately on a declaration of war. Australia, continued the Premier, was not content with its land forces ; they were too small to protect our settled area, and utterly inadequate to protect unsettled areas. Under the new defence scheme they would practically absorb the whole of v the best existing military organisations by simply expanding them. Australia would not be content with anything less than the universal training of all able-bodied males, without distinction of class or calling. He denied that there was any spirit of aggressive militarism.