FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1912, Page 6

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

PROPOSED MATERNITY GRANT,

LEGISLATION AGAINST TRUSTS. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.]' MELBOURNE, This , Day. Lord Denman opened the Federal Parliament.... His speech referred to the prospects of. a continuance of prosperity and the, marked incerasp in immigration. Dealing with the proposed ma! unity grant,, the Governor-Genual said li*» was unable to regard the natural incioase m the population of the Commonwealth otherwise than with the' deepest concern. The death .rate, too, was high. Nearly nine million' children died under the age of one year, many from preventable causes. Men and women were the best asset of the nation. Hence, the proposed grant. It was proposed again to ask die pe-j.le to approve of an alteration in the Constition enabling Parliament to legislate effectively against trusts and combines and monopolies, and to extend the pom.oj regarding industrial matters. He announced that the Government had agreed to the request of the Admiralty tci reduce the squadron by the return of the Challenger and two first-class n vise's. The Government were anxious to cheapen cable communication with U.e O.i World and was still urging the laying of a State-owned Atlantic cable. The Government was also co operating with other parties in the Pacific i< v a cable agreement introducing deuwol and other cheaper forms of cablegrams. Bills promised include a Navigation Act, amending the Old-age Pensions Act, Trade Marks and Customs Bills.

The dolevolopV The development of wireless is to be pushed on immediately.