AUSTRALIAN PROBLEMS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20234, 12 May 1931, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN PROBLEMS.

MR SCULLIN'S OFFER. PARLIAMENT AS AN ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. (untied presb ASsocuTian—bt electric lELEQBAPH—COMRIGHT.) (Received May 11th, 5.5 p.m.) MELBOURNE, May 11. Tho Commonwealth Prime Minister, JVli" J. H. Seullin, said he was willing to confer with all sections of the House and all sections of the community with the object of providing rejief for the existing distress. Ho submitted a proposal to Parliament a fortnight ago to convert it into air Economic Conference, in which the whole of the problems of Australia could be discussed openly and frankly, apart from Party considerations, lie was prepared to repeat that offer, and if necessary the Standing Orders would be suspended so that the proceedings might be conducted more in the nature of a conference than on tho lines of the usual Parliamentary debates. The Government business sheet would be put aside for a time, and committees representing all parts of the House would, if be set up to examine each specific industry. The Government was prepared to place its definite proposals before such a conference, an( j everyone else should do the same.

SINCERITY DOUBTED.

OPINIONS OF OPPOSITION

(Received May 11th, 8.30 p.m.)

MELBOURNE, May 11

Commenting on Mr Scullin's suggestion fpr Pafty co-operation, Mr J. A. Lyons, leader of tho new Federal Opposition, said: "I think the best way would be for both Parties to cooperate for the relief of immediate distress an 4 6° to the people in the meantime." . ~ _ . Mr Lyons added that the Laboui Government hacj hitherto refused to co-operate with the Opposition. Dr. Earle Page, leader of the Country Party, doubted the sincerity of tlie Prime Minister, It essential to know whether his Party was prepared to> give Parliament a free hand unfettered by Party discipline. federal deficit. OVER sl9,QQo,flQft FOR TEN MONTHS. CANBERRA, May 11. Although a slight improvement in the state of the finances of the Cow monwealth hap been effected by inerefised taxation payments during April, a big deficit still exists. For the 10 months ended April 30th the expenditure exceeded tho revenue by £19,201,000, the figures being: £ Revenue • • 48,699,000 ..Expenditure •• 07,900,000 It is ths»t receipts in the next twq month* wW further reduce the deficit before? the end of the finaocjaV y e Q T - ' ; ■ MINERS AND POLICE.

CONFLICT AT BULLI. (Received May 11th, 8 p.m.) pynNEY, May U. The police sit Bujli, a, picturesque coalmining township 011 the south coast, were involved in a desperate affray with a large crowd of unemployedminers and pthers who had declared the Government rations "black." The reason for this is not explained. The tr<jflW hpgap the forenoon, when '»bov|- £OO pjqn tried to prevent hungry comrades and their wives from collecting food prders at the jniners' hall. The police attempted to disperse a mob of jeering men, and finally were compelled to arrest the ringleader, uppp which the remainder closed in and began an attack on the policejnen 'with pieces of wood and gaspipe. The poUcR drew their tp protect themselves. - They lodged the man in the Jocfe-up and the# scoured tho neighbourhQfif} and arrested ten others. Three constables wfcre treated severely «d fmfferefl head wowffe They are convinced that they were lucky to escape with their lives. RIOTERS SENTENCED. TOVR SWT TO PRISON. 1 11 !,*.® .»"li,H (Received May llth, P p.m.) SYDNEY, May 11. Following the organised disturbance by ComHlumsts and others and their ftttftck upon vhe police on the night Of April 37th' outside the Sydney Town Hall, four men were sentenced to imprisonment, ranging / r °Ri three to 3>£ Months, Tltree otjiers were fined heavily, HARBOUR BRIDGE.

EXHIBITION AT OPENING. (Received Mfvy. Hth } 11*53 p.nv) SYPNEY, Mfiy U, The New South Wales Government hft* agreed t9 CP-operate with the Boydi Agricultural Society in having representative exhibition at Sydney to synchronise with the opening of the Uarfeewr bridge in J932. The Government's share of the cgst will he £58,000. .