THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12282, 28 May 1903, Page 5

THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—

Melbourne, May 27. In the House Mr. Ecid opposed the Judiciary Bill being placed in the forefront of business. He approved of the proposed naval agreement, and said Australians could not justify a refusal to pay the £200,000 per annum involved. He agreed with the decision of the Government to allow the question of preferential trade to stand over until aftei the next elections, when, if the country decided in favour of protection, the door might be opened a little more to the Mother Country than to foreign countries. He thoroughly believed that if they were going to shut their doors against British trade they should shut them closer against foreign trade.

Sir Edmund Barton's reply to Mr. Ilevd was not finished when the debate adjourned. He claimed that the naval agreement was a reasonable adjustment of the relations between themselves and the Old Country. He believed that, Canada would realise her responsibility in the matter. (Received ¥ay 27, 11.55 p.m.) Melbourne, May 27. In the House Sir E. Braddon continued the debate. Apologising for what appeared to be his lapse from free trade in supporting the retention of the duties on *'ew Zealand oats and potatoes, he said Tasmania had made many sacrifices to come into th« Federation. New Zealand had made none., therefore it was not right to give New Zea« land the same advantage as Tasmania. As a matter of high principle, he believed is retaining the New Zealand duties. A* regards preferential trade, it would be bet* ter to wait till the full text of Mr. Chamberlain's speech was available, but he found it difficult to believe that Britain would abaa< don her historic policy of free trade. -