COLONIAL PARLIAMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10008, 20 December 1895, Page 5

COLONIAL PARLIAMENTS

Press Association.—Electric Tole/trftph.—Copyright. NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, December 19. In the Legislative Assembly, the Council's amendments in the Public Service Bill were debated. Amongst others, those extending the terin of the Commissioner proposed to be appointed under the Bill from seven to ton years, exemption of officers of Parliament from tho provisions of tho Bill, and tho exemption of temporary officers from benefit superannuation fund, were disagreed with. VICTORIA. Melbourne, December 19. Tho Legislative Assembly has amonded tho Income Bill fixing the exemptions on a lower scale, so as to create increased revenue. The measure has passed all its stages. The Premier said it was necessary to make up large decreases in the Customs And railway revenues. He expects to recoiro £170,000 from income tax, and £30,000 for arrears. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, December 19. In tho Legislative Assembly, tho speech by the Colonial Treasurer on tho Northern Territory question made it evident that the proposal to hand the Territory to a chartered company was nob countenanced by the Government. He said the idea of handing back the Territory to England was to bo deprecated, as it would probably bo then handed to chartered companies, who would exploit it with Asiatic labour, which would be a national disaster to Australia. Ho thought South Australia should keep tno territory as at present, though enduring financial loss, in the interests of tho whole continent until a federated Australia was prepared to take ovor tho control of Northern Australia. He said despite the doleful croakings in some quarters, and tho perennial deficit in the shape of interest) on expenditure, tho revenue otherwise slightly exceeded the expenditure. The Treasurer took a hopeful view with regard to the northern dependency. He pointed out that the area of land leased in tho past had been decreasing, but now the tide was turning, and large areas were boing taken up for mineral and pastoral purposes, Many of the mining claims were looking well, and the new alluvial diggings on tho Ferguson River gave promising prosper,'as, The discovery of coal deposits was also choering. The Government would adopt the recommendation of the Royal commission, and grant subsidies in aid of deep sinking for gold, establishing freezing works, opening stock routos and markets, and assisting deep boring for water. Great things wore expected as the result of the report by an expert) on the question of tropical culture in the northern territory.