VICTORIA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9890, 17 January 1895, Page 2

VICTORIA.

Melbourne, Wednesday. In the Legislative As<ombly last night the Premier, rtfariing to the recent crisis, said the Legislative Council had a legal right to act as it had done, bat whether it had a constitutional right was atosher question. Looking at all the circumstances quietly end impartially,' he thought the House could not afford to raise a constitutional question which could be avoided. The real question to consider was what course was desirable in the interest of the whole colony. The Land and Income Tax Bill, the measure in dispute, could be sent baok to the Council, but in the face of its almost unanimous refection last week there was little chance of its being accepted now. The Govern' mead wonld then have to dissolve the House, which would be penalising the recently returned members. Nor was it certain that tbis step wonld lead to a final solution of tho difficulty. He believed this course would be injurious to the beit interests of the colony, and create turmoi'. He believed the land tax was growing in favor, and attributed its defeat to the pressure of the finanolal institutions. He hoped, with the iocome tax, a redaction of the subsidy to municipal bodies, and retrenchment, to be able to reduce the deficit for the year to £78,000. He then moved tho introduction of the Income Tnx Bill, which was carried to the committee stages.