IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10307, 14 March 1895, Page 2

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. London,. March 12. Under-secretary Buxton said that the Customs Bill placed Australia in a similar position to the Cape and Canada. Any proposals enacted uuder it wonld be subject to veto. Mr Gardner, Secretary of Agriculture, replying to a question, said tbe Government were considering whether farmers could be permitted to send butter direct to the consumers by parcels post. It was desired to encourage some branches of the farming industry. In the House of Commons Sir E. Grey said the Government were awaiting the result of the iDQuiry into the recent trouble between Venezuela aud British Guiana before taking any action in the matter. . March 13. Mr B. Robertson, Civil Lord of the Ad-j miralty, in the course of the Naval Statementin tho House of Commons, said the attempt to recruit tho navy from the mercantile ■marine had failed. He estimated the cost of construction for the coming year at L5,4:0O,OOO, half of which would ;be spent on battleships. A loan of L8,G00,000 would be required for work 3 at Portland, Devonport, Daver, Hongkong, and Gibraltar, which would be met by terminable annuities not exceeding HO years' currency. The eighthour system in the dockyards had proved a great success.