AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Evening Star, Issue 11267, 14 June 1900, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Presa Aisoolatlon —B> eiß.uapfi—Oory ijht SYDNEY. June 13. Mr M'Court, Chairman of Committees, was unanimously chosen Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, vice Sir James Abbott. Mr Trickett has been elected Chairman of Committees of the Legislative Council. The Finance Committee's report condemns the issue of Treasury bills for over one million, covering the liabilities of previous years, and representing the ascertained deficiency at June 30, 1895, as unnecessary and misleading, as thereby the subsequent real condition of the finances was not made apparent. Mr G. H. Rpid'informed the House that when he found ho could not go before the Finance Committee, owing to the manner in which that body was constituted, with a view to having justice done and to show that he was not afraid of inquiry, he arranged for a committee of three wellknown accountants to make an investigation of the disputed accounts, paying the expenses out of his own pocket. Heathen proceeded to make a vigorous onslaught on the geiieral policy of tho Government. He condemned the appointment of Mr Barton as a Federal delegate without consulting the House after a promise to do so. ' AN ADVERSE AMENDMENT. ' SYDNEY, Juno 14. Mr Reid spoke for over four hours, and dealt at great length with tho proceedings of the Finance Committee. He claimed that an injustice had been done him by the appointment of one member, who had found him' guilty before he commenced the inquiry. The Government had sot the Committee forty-one questions, and tried in many ways to get answers which would be the reverse of the truth. He defended his cash system, and claimed a surplus of £141,000 during its operation. He also condemned the promotions of certain volunteer officers, including the Minister of Justice, and referred to the plague suppression expenditure as the mast awful record of incompetence and extravagance that the world had ever seen. At the conclusion of.his speech Mr Reid moved the addition of the following paragraphs to the Address :—" It is a subject for regret that Ministers persisted in employing Mr Yarwood as a member of the Finance Commission when they became aware that he had previously published strong opinions upon one of the is-mss he was asked to try. That we are respectfully in agreement with your Excellency in the opinion that recent events have shown the necessity of putting our volunteer forces ou a better footing, and therefore especially regret that recent appointments to positions in the volunteer force seem to subordinate efficiency, merit, and patriotic service to other considerations—a course calling for strong disapproval." On the motion of Sit- W. J. Lyne the debate was adjourned till to-day.

ADELAIDE, June 14. The South Australian Parliament opens to-day.