FEDERAL FINANCES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 451, 9 March 1909, Page 5

FEDERAL FINANCES.

BRADDON CLAUSE. LABOUR MINISTRY OFFERS NO CURE. ■EXTRAVAGANCE REBUKED. (DT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYRIGHT.) (Rec. March 9, 0.30 a.m.) Htsbart, March 8. Tho Federal Primo Minister (Mr. Fisher), tho Minister for Home Affairs (Mr. H. Mahon), and tho Attorney-General (Mr. Hughes) attended tho sitting to-day of tho Confbrenco of State Premiers. Mr. Fisher, in a general statement, outlined tho growing requirements and oxpanding obligations of tho Commonwealth, and intimated that he would disdoso tho financial policy of tho Government in a speech to bo delivered at Gympio at tho end of tho month. Ho had no scheme to submit to tho Conference as regards tho settlement of tho Braddon clause- difficulty, but ho would glad to receive any representation tho Conference had to make. Mr. Mahon dealt with the lavish expenditure of some of tho States. Ho pointed out that although Federation in 1900 relieved thorn of Departments costing four millions annually, tho expenditure of the States had grown from 4-J to 7J millions. At tho same time- tho population from the date of Federation till 1906 had remained practically stationary. It would be idle to contend that any development in Australia during the past eight years warranted such a huge increase in tho cost of government.