NEW SOUTH WALES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10651, 11 May 1895, Page 5

NEW SOUTH WALES.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. | [Special to Passs Association.] ‘i SYDNEY, May 10. % | The-Income taz proposed by the Eaid I Government is to be 6d in the £, and lis expected to realise £IOB,OOO- In closing hia speecli last night, Mr Eeid referred to the question of Federation, and said he hoped, after the disposal of the measures raised fay the Financial Statement, to invite Parliament to take a practical step towards Federation. Thera could be no federation until the compact was sealed in the spirit of brotherhood; and instead, j therefore, of offering blow for blow and j border duty for border duty, ho would offer their Australian brethren the free: I uhq of all their borders. The House has adjourned till Wednesday nest, j Members of tho Freatrade party consider the statement the beet ever delivered in I the House. Sir G. E, Bibbs thinks it is as absolute failure. Sir E. Patkes says that, when calmly and dispassionately read, it causes disappointment by reason of its mistaken assertions and serious omissions of several important questions and its general defectiveness as an exposition of the colony’s finances. At a caucus meeting of the Opposition a proposal for a direct motion of censure by the Opposition was negatived, and it was decided to support Sir H. Psrkes in j .sn attack upon the Government policy, j The meeting adjourned pending negctia-1 tions. It is understood that Sir H. Packes | will submit a motion to the effect that the I condition of the finances and the near ! approach of federation do not justify a I change in the fiscal policy till it can ba t dealt with by a Federal Parliament. | In the Legislative Assembly the Premier I denied that the Governorship was being hawked out among hangers-on to the Imperial Treasury. The Imperial Government, he said, was fully alive to the importance of the appointment, and was endeavouring to select a man who would give satisfaction both to the colony and Great Britain. MELBOUENE. Mat 10, . j The Premier considers that tho New'| South Wales Budget undoubtedly means I a return to freetrado. The feeling amongst I commercial men ia that the adoption of | the policy will prove a great blow to Vic- I

toria’a foreign trade, which will go to the free port of Sydney. Some are of opinion that it will give a fillip to Victorian manufactnreß, while others consider that it will have the opposite effect, believing that foreign traders will take advantage of a free port to inundate New South Wales with cheap goods, against which, it will be impossible to compote. Tho opinion is also expressed that it will retard federation.