FEDERAL POLITICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 22

FEDERAL POLITICS

NATIONAL AND COUNTRY PARTIES. MELBOURNE, July 23. A conference of the managers of the Federal Nationalist and Country Parties has reached an agreement. The details are not disclosed, but it is indicated that the result will be reported to Mr Bruce and Dr Earle Page, and that they will discuss a basis of settlement. SENATE VACANCY FILLED. MELBOURNE, July 23. Mr J. F. Hannan (Labour) has been elected to the vacancy in tile Senate created by the death of Senator Barker (Labour). The new Senator is an ex member ot Parliament, and ia Federal President of the Labour Party. He beat the National ist candidate (Mr W. Plain) by 46 votes to 43. COMPULSORY VOTING PROPOSED. MELBOURNE, July 25. The House of Representatives passed a Bill providing for compulsory voting at Federal elections. VICTORIAN POLITICS. MELBOURNE, July 23. Sir Alexander Peacock announced in the Assembly that he had been elected Leader of the Opposition by the Nationalist Party. July 24. Tho State Parliament has adjourned for five weeks to enable Mr G. M. Erendergast to formulate his policy. July 25. The Prendergast- Ministry has fallen into line with the Labour Ministries m tho other States in respect to the registration of State public servants in the Arbitration Court. Notice of the discontinuance of the appeal against the registration of the Australian Public Servants’ Association has been given on behalf of the Ministry. N.SAV. ASSEMBLY. SYDNEY, July 2b. Mr J. T. Ness presented the Ne Temere Bill for its second reading. The debate lasted all night. The Government, applying the closure, carried the second reading by 47 votes to 32, and pressed it through the committee stages. The debate was at times warm and bristling with charges and counter-charges of sectarianism and ulterior motives. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ADELAIDE, July 25. At the opening of the South Australian Parliament the Governor’s Speech forecasted an increase in tho income tax exemption ; a reduction in the membership of the Assembly from 46 to 35, members to be elected under a system of preferential voting; and steps to bo taken to create a State Insurance Fund. The Government is considering the question of

providing legal assistance for poor persons. All possible steps will be taken to raise the standaid of education and to prevent overcrowding. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. PERTH, July 25. Parliament was opened yesterday. The Governor's Speech indicated that a policy of immigration and land settlement combined with the development of natural resources, was of paramount importance. The group settlement system, which now totalled 124 units with a population ot 1776, would be continued. The Government tramways showed a loss of £707 during June. This is the first loss for a number of years. It is attributed to competition by recentlynaugurated private motor bus services. The Government intends to put a limitation on competition by buses, which it proposes to run itself on certain routes. FORECAST OF COMMONWEALTH BUDGET. MELBOURNE, July 2/. It is forecasted that the Hon. Earle Page, treasurer of the Commonwealth Ministry, in his Budget speech on Thursday next, will announce a reduction in the Federal income tax by £2,000.000. Other features will be more money for Defence, no reduction in tariff duties, and help to the primary industries to market their surplus products. There will also be reference to trade reciprocity with Canada and other dominions.