News by Cable

Hastings Standard, Volume V, Issue 1427, 18 January 1901, Page 4

News by Cable

f Per United Press Association—r»pynrfhu ) IjOndox, January 17. Mr S.imuel Lewis, moneylender, is dead. He bequeathed his widow a million absolutely, with a discretionary life interest of three millions more, most of which will ultimately be devoted to charities, including four hundred thousan3 to found homes for the London poor. THE TRANSVAAL. London, January 17. The Governor of Pretoria has prohibited civilians wearing khaki. Anyone wearing a costume resembling the British uniform will be liable to arrest and punishment. Private Daniel Clark, New Zealand Rough Riders, was killed at Klerksdorp. Commandant De Wet has recrossed the Vaal and joined the Transvaal commandos. Melbourne, January 17. Arrived—Damascus, with 42 invalided soldiers for Australia, under Major Madocks, of New Zealand. THE COMMONWEALTH. Sydney, January 17. An enthusiastic reception was accorded to Mr Barton at Maitland. A large audience assembled to hear him unfold the Federal policy. He said that the Ministry was not a one-man Ministry, nor men with a shibboleth. It did not include all the men one would have desired, but there were only seven portfolios. It was not a fact that any pressure was exercised by any members of the Ministry for inclusion. It was desirable that the Federal Parliament should be master in its own house. Early steps would be taken to select a bapital site for tbe Commonwealth. An Old Ago Pension Bill would be introduced as soon as the financial situation was clear enough to-provide the necessary fund. The wish of the Ministry was for cheaper postage, telegrams, and cables. It was absolutely necessary to leave the field for direct taxation to the states. There must bo no direct taxation to the Commonwt"il'.h, unless in a great naiksnal fmergeucy, and not even then if it jou'd bo avoided, lie made th's nVc'aration in view cl :4;i!emenis by so-called revenue tariili -ts that they were tbre-.it---ued with £700,000 of Commonwealth dbect taxation, as well as Customs, which thus meant that there must be a high tariff, however framed. Freetrade, continued Mr Barton, was clearly impracticable. The pclioy of the Ministry was to obtain revenue without the destruction of industries. The tariff must be such as to maintain employment, not to ruin it; a business tariff which would yield the sums needed, without discouraging production, lie pointed out that unrestricted competition in Australia would tax the full strength of industries without the unrestricted competition of the world. No one tariff of tbe six States now in force could claim to exclude its fellows. Tbe highest duties were not to be adopted because they wc.ro the highest or the lowest. Eich would have to run the gauntlet of criticism, and justify itself by this means. Mr Barton hoped that the present business man's tariff would be a practical working tariff, a really Federal tariff, so as to avoid disaster, suffering, bitterness, and antagonism. The first tariff ought to be considerate, preservative of existing production, and liberal in its attitude towards tbose engaged in production. An Australian tariff for the Australian nation would be a happy one, and to adopt preferential treatment of British goods where reciprocity was possible. Among the measures would be one dealing with the settlement of industrial disputes, extending beyond any one state. He would accept adult suffrage for the Commonwealth. Dealing with the colored labor question, he declared that tfforts would be made in the direction of a white Australia. Sir W. J. Lyne has received a letter from Messrs Frost and Moore, the official representatives of Cape Colony and Natal at the Federal celebrations. They expressed themselves as impressed with the prosperity and the profound peace prevailing in Australia. "In our hour of need and sore distress," they write, " Australia came unasked to our assistance and gave her hest and bravest. It was a mighty deed, which not only helped to save our colonies from the enemy, but added to the honor and prestige of the Empire. We will never forget it. On behalf of our fellow colonists we offer to the relatives of those dear ones who never return our most haartfelt sympathy, and assure them that the graves of the heroes who have fallen in the war will ever bo cared for by the women of South Africa, with the assistance of the Government, which has taken the matter in hand.