AUSTRALIAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11122, 9 November 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph—Copyright). ' ' Nov. 8. V An attack is being inade on the Government in both Houses, the Labor mem- , bers participating, for the y delay in enforcing the excise duty under the new protection scheme. It is contended' 'that the GpvernmentVr,u6hed yto protect the manufacturer, but are veiy dilatory in protecting workers. • . ,: - yy, V Li theVFe^eral Arbitration -Court, Mr Justice Higgini refused an; application ,py Mr/ ;Mcl£ay, of the Sunshine Company, for exemption from payment of duties under the Excise Tariff Act. Judge Biggins failed to find that McKay paid fair and reasonable ; wages, as required under the Act. He fixed* the fo'l- | lowing , wages to apply throughout- the Commonwealth: Unskilled laborers 7s, skilled 7s 6d ; f urnacemenj' sheet-iron workers, painters, and brush hands, 9s ; fitters, trimmers, moulders,' blacksmiths, wood- workers, harvester, machinists, carpenters, wheelwrights^ 10s; patternmakers, lis ; engine : drivers, first-class, -.9s\2d. .- •■ ■;' V, Tlie Federal Attorney-General is advised that a Bill has passed the Imperial /Parliament prohibiting the recognition of statutes of oversea dominion in Courts of ♦ Justice without forrrial proof. ■■•■'»-. (Received Noyember 9, 10.7 a.m,) MELBOURNE, Nov. 9; The price of brea;d has been reduced from 7d to 6_d the fourrpound loaf. A hitch has occurred- with the mail contract negotiations with the Orient Coriipany. Both the Government and tlie company are reticient, but it is gathered that the cause of the dispute is the treatment of butter exporters and the connection of the company with what is known as the five lines combination. It appearsthat negotiations were proceedirig 'harmoniously between the Federal Government and, the compariy until, the State Government intervened and succeeded in creating a deadlock. The Victorian Government demands that the Orient connection with the five lines combination shall cease; that there shall be no differentia,tion between those butter exporters who have contracted to send all their butter by the lines embracedl.in the combination and thosp who divide ; their /trade with outside companies. k BRISBANE, Nov. 8. Discussing Mr Kidston's letter to the Labor party, 1 inviting co-opei-ation against the Legislative Council as an obstwictionist bodyj Brisbane's official* orgari of the Labor party says tlie-jparty cannot violate the decisions of , tlie ; Convention or grant Mr Kidston's candidates- immunity of opposition at elections. Mr Kidston, it remarked), has inflicted, a lot of harm* on the Labor partyV But his power was now at an end. No longer there a danger of tlie party -divesting themselves of their freedom and- accepting the programme of the Government, whose ideal is expediency. ■ \. ■• ■