FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 12101, 6 November 1908, Page 6

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

THE CAPITAL SITE. LABOR AND THE GOVERNMENT. MAY BREAK AWAY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, November 6. ( (Received November 6, at 10.20 a.m.) The Senate were unable to take a ballot on the capital cite owing to the opponents of Y r ass protracting the debate. The present indications are that Yase will have a majority of four. Strained relations exist between the Labor party and the Deakin Government, principally over the proposed amendment to the Constitution as to the direction for giving effect to the new Protection policy. The Laborites strongly oppose vesting a larger power in the Interstate Commission, and many condemn the Commission altogether, preferring to leave the imposition of working conditions and rates of wages to the Arbitration Court. At a caucus it was practically decided to break away from the Government. Mr Fisher is expected to make an official statement to-day. THE COST OF DEFENCE. PROPOSAL TO TAX WEALTH. MELBOURNE, November 6. _ Mr Mai ion, in the House of Representatives, moved that the practice of defraying the cost of national defence out of Customs and Excise was inequitable and unjust, and should be discontinued. Further, that as one of the principal objects of defence is the protection of private wealth, its possessors should be required to contribute by direct taxation an adequate sum to the cost of naval and military defence. The private wealth of Australia, he said, amounted to a thousand millions, and it was estimated that 810 millions of this was owned by 8,455 persons. The debate is nut yet concluded. NORFOLK ISLAND. MELBOURNE, November 6. (Received November 6, at 10.35 a.m.) The Federal Government intend to introduce a Bill to take over Norfolk Maud.