THE COMMONWEALTH

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 31

THE COMMONWEALTH

SYDNEY, April 30. Referring to the fact that with one exception the last Labour Ministry had been reselected, the Telegraph says that on the whole the allotment of portfolios is impressively significant of the party's disposition to trust the bridge which carried them over safely. The members of the last Fisher Government may fairly feel pride in the testimonial thus given them by their reselection. Mr M'Gowen, discussing the State Labour party's policy, for the coming elections, said that its chief planks would be decentralisation in railway policy, a reduction in the number of members to 54 by a rearrangement of the electorates before the next elections, nationalisation of sufficient ooal mines to supply the State industries and harbour ferries, compensation for injury to workmen, an appeal board for public servants, and a progressive land tax in the event of the Federal Parliament failing to pass such a measure. LONDON, April 29. The Hon. J. M'Goll (Agent-general for Tasmania), speaking at the Ironmongers' banquet, said he believed that the Labour Government would cease to be representatives of a class, since they had accepted the responsibility of governing the Commonwealth for all classes. The British need have no anxiety concerning the Australian Labour policy.