AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12421, 9 February 1901, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH.

PUBLIC MEETING IN SYDNEY. A SPEECH BY MR BARTON. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyrigh i, ■SYDNEY, Feb. 7. A monster demonstration took place in the Town Hall to-night, under the auspices of the Australian Liberal Association. The Mayor presided. The speeches delivered by Mr .Barton, Mr Deakin, Sir George Turner, Mr Drake and Mr R. E. O’Connoi-j • were a ve-stalement and elaboration 'of the ministerial policy and a counterblast to Mr • Reid. Mr Barton said the Federal Ministry would endeavour to reconcile the conflicting interests, and make an Australian policy for the Australian people. They feared no attacks. The proceedings were enthusiastic. SYDNEY, Feb. 8. ; Mr Barton last night said that he-was a Protectionist, and he was not ashamed to say so. Protection must be maintained on the existing industries. They must have a revenue tariff, and moderate protection. He did not propose to destroy the national industries, like the sugar industry. Tho Federal tariff must not be a sectional one. Ho would fake care that one State did not rule the roost. Everyone must have a fair share of the surplus. With regard to the New Hebrides, he said the- Federal Government had already addressed a note to the Imperial Government with reference to the recent- representations on the matter. There Were other external relations, such as New Guinea, Tonga-, and Fiji, to consider. He gave an assurance that the Government would endeavour to conserve the interests of Australia without embarrassing the .Empire. The other speeches were in support of the tariff as outlined by Mr Barton, and in deprecation of setting State against State. MELBOURNE, Feb. 8. The reconstruction and consequent reduction of the State- Ministers has resulted in a saving of £IOOO annually, and when the Defence Department is taken over by the Federal Government there will be a further saving of a similar amount. , BRISBANE, Feb. 8. Mr Philp, speaking at a. meeting of th|| Early Closing Association, said that the' sugar industry was one of the most important in Queensland, and they should hesitate before they did anything to menace it. The time 'would come when they would require little or no coloured labour. In the meantime let them give the people engaged in the industry a fair show.