FEDERAL POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3004, 11 October 1911, Page 26

FEDERAL POLITICS.

MELBOURNE, October 4.

In the House of Representatives, in "reply to a quest-ion, the Minister, of ExVernal Affairs (Mr Batchelar) stated that &2156 had been paid to the Independent Cable Association. Through the subsidising of press cablegrams ther© was an increase of business over the Pacific cable, the gain to the Commonwealth amounting to £2166 annually. There was also an increase in the postal revenue for\the transmission of messages on the land lines. Altogether the Commonwealth got back about three times the amount it paid out in the way of subsidy. The Federal Government was paying Messrs Burns, Philp, and Go. £5520 as subsidy for the New Hebrides mail service.

October 5

, In the Federal House of Representatives Mr Kelly continued his speech on his motion in favour of taking action to dbcourage trading in Australian waters by fomgn merchant vessels capable of conversion to commerce destroyers in war time. He said the matter was urgent in view of the fact that ho provision was made for such vessels in the Declaration of London, and the Government to refer the matter to the Imperial authorities. ' . , . . The debate was adjourned:**

Mr Foster's motion in favour of nationalising, the means of distribution was talked out.

October 6.

In the Senate attention was drawn to the circulation of treasonable literature regarding compulsory training. Senator Pearoe said that it better to treat the circulars : with contemptuous indifference in view of the overwhelming public opinion in favour of the present law.

The new Electoral Bill has been introduced. It definitely fixes Saturday as polling day. A bill has been introduced, providing that no member of the army and navy may dispose of the decorations that have been conferred on them.