AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12409, 26 November 1908, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

- -' ■ ' ■ '— t -^ , HE VEDEBAL GOVERNMBNT. A POLICY STATEMENT. [Pbess Association — Copteight.] . Receive! Nov: 25, IL 4O p.m. Melbourne, Nov: 25. Mr Fisher made a statement in the House regarding the Government policy. The Gjvernment loound forward to. not more than 14 more sitting days. There had no.t besn time for ttie Government io giva attention to any large issues of policy. The customs would iv all likelihood show an impfovemerifc of about £89.000. That arose largely through the decrease in" production of sugar. The Government hoped to giv3 full effect to the old age pensions scheme, but it could not accept Sir William Lyne's estimate of the amount required. His own idea waa that the amount;- would be about a million and a half. "The Goveroment would see that sufficiant funds were arailable. .As.tq the new protection, the Ministry proposed to appeal to tbe people by referendum to give such: powers to Parliamont as would enable it to give protection to tbe worker as well as tbe manupcturer. The Government accepted tbe division given on the capital site'question and would introduce a Bill to; enable a suitable area to be chosen," and the Bill would be introduced this session. The Iron Bonus -Bill would be proceeded with, but. some: amendments would be introduced.