AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 79401, 12 March 1904, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE % ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE. SPEECH BY MR KINGSTON. | Received 11, 10.57 p.m. I ' MELBOURNE, March 11. Hon. C. C. Kingston, late Minister lor Trade, in the debate on the Address-in-Heply, warned the Government that there were already symptoms of a fall from the democratic legislation. It was unwarily approaching pitfalls. The success of the Arbitration Act depended on compliance with its awards by both sides, and stern ■justice should be meted out to those who set the Act at defiance. Hie would strongly oppose excluding any portion of the shipping trade from any portions of the Act, nor should civil servants be excluded. The speaker favoured preferential trade, but would like to see the colonial duties kept as they are against Britain and raised against the foreigner. He did not think that would come for some time, but when it did he hoped there would be no haggling' over details. Mr Kingston said ne did not like the idea of inviting any Imperial statesman to visit Australia. He advocated that because he considered Australian interests should only i be dealt with by the Australian Government, which should make up its mind on any policy put before it by the people. He was inclined to resent the invitation to Mr Chamberlain. What would be said, he asked, if Australians were sent to Eng- ' land v to- advocate their side of the Imperial issue? ' ' i The debate ~was adjourned till Tuesday, i