STATE POLITICS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13395, 19 September 1907, Page 3

STATE POLITICS.

A OVERNMKNX I) EFKAT. Press Assoeiation-KyTeiegraph-OopyrigM PERTH, September IS. The. Legislative Council negatived the second rending of the .Land Tax Assessment 1?iil. This involves the defeat of the Govcii;meht land tax proposals-. INCOME TAX REDUCED. . MELBOURNE, September 13. Mi" Bent proposes to reduce the income tax by 2v per cent., with th« exception of the income of companies. The reduction means a lo::s of B.OGQ t»f revenue.^ BAD GENERALSHIP. A PROROGATION GRANTED. Received 0.50 a.m.. September 19th. PERTH, September 18. The Land Tax Bill seems to have been i-.isfc by bad generalship. The Premier tendered his resignation. When the Assembly met, lie announced that the action of the Council was a rebuff to the Assembly tantamount to a- refusal to vote supplies. It was impossible to submit to jm act which was a reverwil of the relationship of the two Houses, revolutionising the constitution and placing .the Assemblv and Ministry at the mercy of the second chamber. The Governor declined to acepet the resignation or grant- a dissolution ,but had agreed to-prorogue for a brief period when the taxation proposal would again bo submitted. The leader of the Opposition agreed to the action of the Prnnkr but said lie should have insisted oil an appeal to the country . The prorogation will be for about a fortnight. COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY AT WAR. Rescivsd 1.4 a.m., September 19th. ADELAIDE. September 18.. The amendments by tli-' Council in the Franchise Bill called forth a warm spesch from 11m Premier, who declared that the Council had mutilated the Bill beyond recognition. They were face to face with a crisis. The Ministry had expected rea : son and moderation, and backed as they were by the denutncZ of the country, claimed some consideration from the Council, but tluv were utterly disappointed. The Council "had granted concessions which would not prolong itr; life, and. still continued to emulate Pharoali who .hardened his heart. The question whether or not the Council should bo wiped out had become an insistent one. He asked the Houm to send back the Bill to the Council in the same condition as before. The leader of the country party and the lead'er of the labour supported the Fr.-niier. The discussion is proceeding.