FEDERAL POLITICS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10956, 22 December 1911, Page 4

FEDERAL POLITICS.

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.]

(Per Press Association.) Melbourne, December 21. The Federal session lias closed after a busy sitting. The House sat throughout yesterday night aud again 011 Wedncsday till after midnight, and passed the Estimates., the Inscribed Stock Bill, the Public' Service Bill, the Australian Notes Bill (with an amendment to reduce the go'ld reserve on notes issue to 25 per centum), the Electoral Bill, a Bill to appropriate trust funds for old-age pensions, and the Senate's amendments to the tai-iff. The Senate passed the Loan Bill through Committee and the Pacific Cable Bill, also certain stages of the Appropriation Bill. Received December 22, at 0.35 a.m. Melbourne, December 21. The Senate, in passing the Electoral Bill, retained the clause prohibiting all political articles and paragraphs during an election campaign unless they have the writers' signatures; THE LIQTJOR BILL. Brisbane, December 21. . ■ The Conference of the two Houses failed to agree, to the Council's amendments in the liquor Bill. It is stated that the conference's prospects of an agreement are hopeless. The House has adjourned over Christmas. AN AGGRESSIVE SPEAKER. Received December 22 3 at-9145 a.m. . . Sydney, December 22. The relations-beftveen : the Government and the Speaker are becoming restrained. Recently Mr Willis took it upon himself to suspend Mr Robinson, Chief of the Hansard Staff, for alleged insubordination. He applied to the Government for an endorsement of this, but Mr M'Gowan refused, replying that the Speaker was unable to suspend an of■ficer without the:concurrence of : the President of the Legislative Council. A large amount of correspondence between the heads of the two Houses on the subject has been" made public, and shows that the President regards Mr Robinson as a faithful and competent officer; ■."■■ Mr Willis also heavily fined two Parliamentary messengers for alleged insubordination. His authority is being questioned by the press. " : A POLITICAL CRISIS. Adelaide, December 22. A political crisis has arisen in connection with the Appropriation Bill, the Council declining to pass the items for the Government brick, timber, and firewood . yards on the ground that they should be included in a special Bill. The Houses met in conference, but were unable to agree. A gcneraL election is regarded as unavoidable. WIRELESS SYSTEM. . Melbourne, December 21. In the Senate, in the course of a discussion on the postal estimates, members criticised the action of the Government in adopting the independent wireless system, and presaged that the Marconi and Telefunken Companies were sure to bring an action for infringement of patent, rights. The PostmasterGeneral reiterated that if it was found, ■they were infringing anybody's rights the Government were prepared to meet them fairly. He trusted that when the Senate met after the recess they would have the seaboard fitted with wireless stations and the absence of legal complications. Received December 22, at 9.15 a.m. Melbourne, December 22. The, Marconi Co. has formally intimated to the Federal Government that it intends to take such action as may be necessary to protect its patents. Mr Frazer states that the Government is proceeding with the system it intends to register. Stations will be at' Hobart, Melbourne, Port Moresby, Cooktown or Thursday Island, each to cost £I6OO, and high power stations at Fremantle and Sydney to cost £4600. Mr llavelock Wilson, interviewed, said that the recent great strike had practically broken up the Federation of Shipowners, whose attitude had become intolerable. The -upheaval would no doubt result in an accession of strength to the Labor Party in the House of Commons.