VISIT FROM AUSTRALIA

Northern Advocate, 22 February 1926, Page 2

VISIT FROM AUSTRALIA

THE VICTORIAN PREMIER. PROBLEMS OF COMMONWEALTH. r Interviewed in Wellington,, the Hon. r J. Allan, Premier of Victoria, stated 3 that trade relations between Now t Zea- . land and Australia were fairly amier able, but there was a difficulty in givi ing preferential treatment as to what I articles were suitable to one country I and what to another. He had no r doubt, however, that if the representa- [ fives of the respective Governments i could get together a more satisfactory j arrangement could be reached. ) Mr Allan pointed out that Victoria : was the only nrn-Labour State in the i Commonwealth. The next election in • Victoria was due to take place in June I twelve months. “I don’t think that , Labour has much chance of capturing Victoria,” said Mr Allan. “They are strong there, but there is no danger of 1 them getting a majority. In the present Parliament Labour has 28 members, and the Government 37, but that takes no account of the Speaker. It is not a great majoiity, but still it is' a workable one.” In answer to a question, Mr Allan said his Government was not faced with any difficulty in regard to its Upper House, as was the New South Wales Government. The Victorian Upper House was an elective body, whereas the nominative system was in force in New South Wales. As a result of the recent Federal election, Mr Allan was inclined to the opinion that Labour was more likely to go backward than forward in Australia. “I don’t think they can hold New South Wales,” he said. “They could not hold it today if an election took place. The things that Mr Lang is doing will swing the crowd the other way as fat as he is concerned.'' The opinion was expressed by Mr Allan that there should be greater development in trade between the Comnonwealth and New Zealand. “We are the same people,” he said. “We are pretty British over there, and I think you are, if -anything ,a little more British than we are.” There was no State Arbitration Court in Vitoria, said Mr Allan. Industrial disputes there were dealt with by a Wages Board. When a dispute arose in any industry the employers in that industry appointed an assessor on the Wages Board, the employees in the industry doing likewise ,and the Government appointing an independent chairman. ‘ ‘ This system works out fairly well,” said Mr Allan /‘but we have & few strikes all the same.” The Commonwealth Arbitration Court exercised jurisdiction in the various States of Australia in regard to such industries as shipping or shearing, which were of an inter-State character.