AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 17191, 5 November 1919, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

LABOR'S ELECTION PROGRAMME

MELBOURNE, November 5.

(Received November 5, at 11.10 a.m.) The Labor policy for the Federal elections has been issued. It states that the party stand for the emancipation of Labor from all forms of exploitation and for obtaining for the workers a full reward for their industry by the collective ownership and democratic control of collectivelyused agencies of production, distribution, and exchange. It promises to stimulate production by -guaranteeing the producer a return showing a reasonable profit and by the promise of oversea world markets. Tlie programme includes a Protective tariff and the compulsory use of Australian products by Government contractors. It also provides for a referendum on the question of recasting the Constitution. It advocates the repeal of the compulsory clause of the Defence Act, the nationalisation of shipping, and assistance to workers to secure homes. QUEENSLAND MEAT COMMANDEER. BRISBANE, November 5. The Queensland Government have commandeered all meat supplies for 1919-20, prohibited the owners from traffic in such meat, and declared all meat, contracts void. THE EXILED TRIO. PERTH, November 5. The deported Northern Territory offi-cials—-Messrs Carey (Director), "Evans (Secretary), and Judge Bevan—have arrived here. A MUCH-RESISTED MEASURE. SYDNEY, November 4. A meeting of associated -trades, representing 11 large employers’ associations, resolved that it would bo far preferable to accept the Board of Trade’s living wage at £3 17s than to attempt to put the Maintenance of Children Bill, now before Parliament, into operation.

November 5. The Now South Wales Legislative Council are debating the Children's Maintenance Bill. Many members are showing pronounced opposition, expressing the ■opinion -that it is preferable to accept the Board of Trade’s living wage of £3 17s a week.