COMMONWEALTH FINANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12199, 15 July 1910, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH FINANCE.

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph — Copyright)

(Received July 16, 9.50 a.m.) MELBOURNE 1 , July 15. Mr Fisher, moving the second reading of the Surplus Revenue Bill, /providing payment of 25s per head to the States for ten years from the beginning of the present month, pointed out that a special concession of a quarter of a million would be made to West Australia, and deductions . made during the current financial year of £450,000 from the States to meet the. Commonwealth deficit. He explained that as it would not be legal to bring the payment into operation on the Ist of July, he was going to pay the States the full threequarters of the Customs revenue up to the end of December, but would, square up accounts so as to bring the total payment for the year up to 25s per head. The New South Wales contribution towards the payment of .the Commonwealth deficit . would be - £178,973, Victoria £143,092, Queensland £63)788,: South Australia £30,529, Westralia £20,113, and Tasmania £513,500. •Mr Deakin. and «ome 'other Opposition members criticised the prbposal in a friendly spirit. Others opposed it on; the ground that Mr Fisher's methods of dealing with the finances, were not constitutional: Mr Deakin declared that the Opposition generally recognised .this as a settlement of, the- financial .relations with tho States 'for the" next ten years.