COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20669, 15 September 1930, Page 9

COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

MR. HUGHES' NEW PARTY. RESIGNATION OF COLLEAGUE. CONTROVERSIAL PAMPHLET. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright, (Received September 14, 5.35 p.m.) SYDNEY. Sept, 14. Mr. Walter M. Marks, Independent member of the Federal llouso of Representatives for Wentworth, who by voting with Mr. W. M. Hughes helped to defeat tho Bruce-Pago Government, has now resigned his membership of the Australian Party which ho assisted Mr. Hughes to establish. Mr. Marks says lie disagrees with some points in a pamphlet which Mr. Hughes has just published, notably a bitter personal attack on Sir Otto Niemeyer, also his references to Britain and the Bank of England. Although Mr. Marks, Mr. Hughes and other members of the party had just attended a conference the leader never said a word about his intention of publishing tho pamphlet. AMUSEMENT TAX. INCREASE IN VICTORIA. IMPOSITION ON OCTOBER I. (Received September 14, ft.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE. Sept. 14. On and after October 1 the Victorian Government will impose an amusement tax of ono penny in tho shilling and ono halfpenny on each additional sixpence. SYDNEY TRAMWAYS. RESTRICTION OF SERVICES. OTHER ECONOMIES IMPERATIVE. (Received September 14, 5.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 14. Tho Now South Wales Transport Trust having been told by tho Treasurer that the tramways must pay their own costs, has decided to restrict the services except during peak periods. It is hoped in this way to save £4OOO a week, but other economies aro imperative. The trust hopes that if the employees agrco to further rationing and to forgo privileges the dismissal of 500 more men may bo avoided. HOLDINGS DEPRECIATE. REVALUATION REDUCTION. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN FIGURES. (Received September 14, 6.45 p.m.) PERTH. Sept. 14. The report of the Group Valuation Board shows that 1262 holdings on which a total of £3,797,022 was expended have been revalued at £1,296,605. In other words, a sum of about £2,500,000 has been written off.

TRADES UNION POLICY. FAR-REACHING PROPOSALS. FEDERAL GRANT DEMANDED. MELBOURNE. Sept. 13. Far-reaching proposals were contained in a report submitted by a sub-committee on unemployment and the financial posifion to a special inter-State conference of the Australian Council of Trades Unions. Among the recommendations made were that in order to free the credit resources of the country the Federal Government should provide a sum of £20,000,000; that the decisions of. tho Premiers' Conference should be repudiated by tho Federal and Stato Labour Governments; and that the Loan Council should be dissolved.

STATE PARLIAMENTS. PROPOSED REDUCTION. MR. BAVIN DISAGREES. SYDNEY. Sept, 13. Tho Premier of New South Wales, Mr. T. lv. Ravin, referring to tho remarks of Mr. J. E. Fenton, acting-Prime Minister, to the effect that there are too many Parliaments in Australia, said such a suggestion at present only obscured the real issue. Obviously there must be a Parliament for each Stato.