AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 19

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

SYDNEY, September 11. Sir George Fuller, in outlining the Nationalist Party’s platform in view of the Ministerial hint that there might be a general election at an early date, said he had decided to include the abolition of the Board of Trade fair rents and pricefixing tribunals, which he declared were producing permanent unemployment. Other new planks were a reduction in the salaries of members of Parliament and the termination of Epidemic Pi oval Commissions. Sir George Fuller added that he believed the workers themselves were realising that those measures, which were guaranteed to bring about the social and industrial millennium, have wro ;ght nothing but hurt, and if persisted in would lead to disaster. SYDNEY, September 15. In the Assembly the censure debate assumed a lively turn in consequence of Mr Gardiner (Independent Labour) attacking the Government. It is felt in some quarters that Mr Gardiner cannot consistently vote with the Government, September 15. In the Assembly, Mr J. H. Cann gave notice to introduce a Bill to limit the duration of the Preference to Returned Soldiers and Sailors Act. «• September 16. In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly the censure debate on the Storey Government was not finished, and was adjourned till Tuesday. MELBOURNE, September 13. The Victorian political crisis is expected to terminate to-day. The Government is offering to back a voluntary wheat pool to the extent of 4s per bushel. The Farmers’ Party is pressing for a compulsory pool. September 14. In the Assembly the Lawson Ministry survived the censure motion which was moved by Mr Prendergast (Labour). The motion was defeated by 37 votes to 26. Seven members of the Farmers’ Party voted with the Government and five against it. September 15. In the Assembly the Premier (Mr Lawson), in presenting the Supplementary Estimates for 1920-21, stated that the re-

! ceipt-s were £18,522,000, and the expendi- | ture £18,365,000. Mr Tudor has resigned the leadership of the Labour Party owing to continued ill-health. Mr Charlton will probably succeed him. BRISBANE, September 14. In the Assembly the Premier (Mr J. Theodore), in his Financial Statement, said that he anticipated that the revenue for the current year would be £12,270,000 and the expenditure £12,735,000. PERTH, September 16. In the Assembly Mr Boy land introduced a Bill legalising lotteries for charitable purposes.