AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17606, 10 January 1929, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS.

“BIG FOUR’S” MISSION. A CANDID PRONOUNCEMENT. SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. (Australian Press Association). (Received Jan. 10, 8.50 a-m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 10. The "Big Four” Economic Commission presented their report to the Federal Government concerning their mission in Australia “to look us over.’’ The report which was made available at the State Premiers’ Conference at present sitting at Canberra, makes candid pronouncements about Australian borrowing, the failure of the arbitration tribunals and tariff weaknesses. It declares that Australia has been spending too much money unprofitable has been mortgaging the future too deeply, and recommends that the brake should be put on expenditure for development works which are not directly revenue-producing, leaving the field more widely to private enterprise. The report also recommends that an investigation should be made into the costs of production of staple commodities, which-are far too high in some instances, and the substitution of the round-table method of settling disputes between employers and employees. No more railways should be built without the fullest investigation as to alternative road routes, and the unification of railway gauges should be undertaken without delay under the £34,000,000 British migration and development grant. Inquiry R&garcflng Migration. One of the main conclusions is that present circumstances in the Commonwealth are not favourable to migration. The commissioners think there should be a full scientific inquiry into the economic effect of the tariff and incidence of its duties.

The commissioners say the arbitra Lion system in Australia has failed.

Despit? the fact that Australia unnecessarily or uneconomically lias mortgaged her future, the present financial position of the Commonwealth is sound in the sense that its national income and sources of public revenue are amply sufficient to pay cost of Government and to provide for public services and the repayment of the public debt.

REPORT CONSIDERED.

RY CANBERRA CONFERENCE. SOME DECISIONS. By Telegraph—-Press Assr..—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) (Received Jan. 10, 11.45 a.m.) CANBERRA, Jan. 10. The conference of representatives of the Commonwealth and States which has concluded consideration of the report of the British economic mission, agreed that some amendments to the development agreement between Britain and Australia would be desirable and the commonwealth Government lias agreed to discuss the matter with the British Government.

It was decided that the Railway Commissioners of the Commonwealth and the States should bring up to date the estimate of the cost for unifying the railway gauges.