COMMONWEALTH POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16965, 29 March 1917, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH POLITICS

THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME.

SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER.

frees Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

Australian and N.Z Cable Association.

MELBOURNE, March. 28. Delivering his policy speech at Bendigo, Mr Hughes said the Anzac vote on the conscription referendum was 72,000 for and 58.C00 against. The Government, he continued, had been forced to go to the country by the bitter and reckless hostility of the Senate. If returned, the Government would not force conscription on the people; but, if the national safety demanded it, the question would again be referred to the people. ' "■" < •

Referring to the wheat pool, he said that -to date they had sold 6,100,000 tons. Of this 2,014,000 tons had been sent oversea, and 3,185,000 tons had been sold, but not yet shipped. The Government had now extended the guarantee of 4s a bushel to farmers for the 1918-19 crop. The soldiers' repatriation scheme involved an expenditure of £32,000,000, of which ■ sum it was proposed to raise £22,000,000 by loans, and the remainder by a tax on incomes spread over a series of years. The same facilities for land settlement -would be given to British as to Australian soldiers.

It was intended to follow the example of Britain in regard to the importation of luxuries. To give effect to this policy would enable Australia to keep the wealth of the country within the country and the Empire.

Mr Hughes concluded by saying: " Many of my opponents are openly tiostile to -Britain, and are clamouring for a premature peace, caring for, nothing but their own selfishj narrow interests."