MR. DEAKIN'S POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 743, 16 February 1910, Page 8

MR. DEAKIN'S POLICY.

TARIFF/AND, NEW,-.PROTECTION.. ■The policy of/the Federation .Prime'ffinistCT,";Mp;De'akini dealt at .iength: with: the/interstate Coinmission, .'tariff, -.and.new V.protection ques/ tions,/including a reference:to; reciprocity; with-'.New took pains to .state, that'the.':lnter-State Commission/would-not 'be;'a'; taking. away from: the..'auaiority,;of;-Pariiament,.-bnt would be a.means' of:;snpDying.information 1 to .;'/' ;//;■:, ; .Parliament' : itself- employsV,commissions and' ..committees' ; to './accomplish'; ; general political ;obiectsy but .we ;haTeymany; subjects which not only'/don't;;rec[iiir(j•'.:pbji; iticil'colour;'.but'which .benefit/by_ being kept apart.from, them" .Our. first'need:is exact;and expert'knowlDtlge., .Parliament agoiicica. the fact.";/'KnowledgV-of .^.'current.realities'■'■ of .life' among /which - our;' legislation has to.operate'.is a. :m.6de.m ; .necessity.;.",';TOa:.fifst. .nations pf. the .world, to-diy. in/executive eMiaepcy. are like, Oermahy/.haye; the most perfect; .machineryivfpr.v.obtainiiig exact- iriformation;"..;foi,vtlieh' itheyj.knbw .what-the people..want,.and^thei-best ,way '.of- getting-- it,'.,and. the-'cheapast means* qf 'securing efficiency ./,\/They ;.are,then'.:preparedv.fi) '..uriderfcike'./such.'natip'nar tasks; as'v/tkey- /have .already...'achieved', -.before yhich ■.' our insufficient ■ "and-■'; often''.'■ tern-, porary expedients .mustibft'en-.bf dak; down; ~To/. complete.; the /pjea:v fori.; the.«lnterstate 'Commission.. Bill,;-,in -this ' regards'it is/a ; .plea :fdr'.;the"'means'..to; obtain;.uhdistorted; clearly \ defined'/knowledge,',of t|ie; facts -.and ' the'.': operations of .-those principles' which/ it/i6':eSKritial "that/we should' know if'weiare'tp-db; dur/busiriess efficiently,/;:' ('Applause.)''.',;';A.t t present our .Parliaments/:''a'ro.' ; insufficiently'.'fed'/'with Facts-' oh 'the'-great'social,, -fiscali and:.-in-dustrial .-issues; "wbichHie around- us';';arid shpuld.--.lie Kl^fore.V'USv'•v : -''(Hear,*; : hear.l Etoiipped./with,'s'lich/knowledge'the'Legislature .'will.be'for,; the■ first ;time-;fitted these inquiries ', Valuable 'to; employers -and employed,!and.lt.'is essential to all'piiblioi.mcn.'iiowadays'.'.tb /study .and;.know these: things.■' ,i ''Thpse; : whq'.'do.: ! not.'.study. in /private; life,.- have/ thelTefnge'oOf/ithe Insolvency /..XJourfctandj 'inl ; 'public; life ::it will,- mean {national •;:>''.' '.;';■•;■,' '':■'■■'%' ',)/,"THe:Fiscal;;Questioh.'>-;■;/.'.t';*' ': vLe't'Xus; .applyV itbai;:'doc;f/4ne;l.!,There/iis the" .fiscal ( questbn.- l-in neei, ,of-, clear; tes.timbhy.,;..,'rhis ;is. ,'pfbv.ed intelligent, business- :the ,wprld-the;;United. On thpi insistence PaK liamtntiKas/fgiveu ...himi.a' jorcigh: Tariffs Board,/ Thdt,,V'ody/is,/t'b.,be.'.able .to 'tell him,"-and' CongressVatinyvtiineithe/full facts and, ,tr.uth; ,about /cost/of; production ...in, ;. the' i.cpst ■of;prbdnotioh,' freights,: .and",other' particulars, of cbuntriesVcoiriitig into/;' competition:;..witUi-'thetr" products, either i-in /Sjites; of > elsewhere. '.Then '•the/-Cbh^eM/iCah;;.'deal.;,\rith.; , the %iff v : as.;it; : shonl'd/he.s.dealt with;/That, li.trust;..will'ibe.ithe'i-positibn-in Australia .beforelong,;sp;.that-,-we/.cah : deal' with;it , as; a;:bnsinessr.prbpositi6n,;/';apart«-.frpm theory.;, and. -gfetfeitfl /./political: : doctrine. '(Applause,),.:}Ve' v.hay.e:-. not ihadXthV: clear 'lignt'..and combinations; '^.hich/JHi'uire/y:o-::be:;nias-.tered/; before r :c^mpetitivei | pbw,er i and !tt'a'l::"pf ;saw'.ih.'.'.the 'the'• opi pprtjihity! of ..building; bo'dp'.'of ca'pab,le;vrintliwaideht'::,m'ehj : .;i'who-v;sh6ul(i :study.'and;, certify ..tb;.£aTliamehtr.,and...Gp;' yeminent: ithei'.conditioh'.. of oindustries. jJii;where;ori.,the.;same^()jass^/.ofjgbbds.':'.T l Ken: •we : can:see'v.whettier ;'the .contest jsVreally Jtatween;.'superibr.;: ; abi]ity iahdvmachine'ry,' ■iabphr/,',anil.-labour\spught: :to/lbp.;:,fairly, paid./ : (Applause.) Half/the-time of.;tariff debates/wo.uld.'.have/.'beeh. /saved, -in-.'the past, if ,we;could:have:'had the .undisputed ;i'actsi':half.;the. misconceptions have .been ;due.'.to.;the.-.lack..bf knowledge./when.obhveyed ...by-! two. interested parties.;.-Protec--tipnists., have, been," gravely. ?■ divided,■': cause ; bf disputed' facts'. . Tevi-: ;sion>of,the '.tariff, ;i..tr'ust;..'before long, iwill', become ."a ; thing/ of; the' '.past .'as 'far :as.'the;'CommonweaJth;is cohoerned.-.'When information.is .collected, and; classified; bejfor'ehand/with/care - anil .deliberation'wo , pught. '-to..'.be.: ablo: to; 'deal - with /questions legislation inflaming party,:feeling, so'-'as' to''obscure the:Teal;.:issueß.;.we;'have/-to:'faoe. r,-Even .bur-' Statistical 1 Bepartment .dbes/excellent ;servioe.' "'lt; has ,another'ifpMF&se. '-.-We ;nbed ito'. keep .our; fingers; on;. ; the ; .pulse,'of trade', to/wfatch-,'.invention", j he'w.'jjrooesses, and:;logislatibn.{abroad. t'We/'need'tolbe well, informed /in, these matters/ The ■ aim should'be,'l'-.take'.itAithat-.dur'. tariff'difficulties, should, be deait>with;ih,a.business fashion—on' a 'business' '.basis. /'.(Hear, jhean) ■ •':' ~ :; /. ;■'', ',•':'.;..■;.. /.;'./ ~;; Tariff '. '■ There: were Vnumerbus/anomalies ;in ; the •last..taTifi.' i ';:'S6me...'w'ereViii.tenH6n'aliiiepre-' ■ s'entihg.the deliberate'vote/of 'Parliament , ;6ther,: were 1 unintenti6hal,':'many: of'them were: a';mixture;-- ..We'shall'Vdo- our'-best to;: supply the:,deficieneie3 : ! of informationi 'and ;tnoußh:itv.is'nb.t i prbposed"to'>wait'for the/establishnieht.of-.'the'lhter-Slate Commis'siohi andthe'fulliandJefficieht.rß'bfkin'g . iof. tliis..system,/to /whichilvhave/rbfe'rr'ed; ; yoii'.wiU, 'at'ali;,e'yentsV;,fin4','ivlieii''result3 . of^wbrk■ proceeding'.for;'some...tim'e-.in "the i.hands; :pf :.the l ;MiMstef tof fChisfphis' '.reach ; iull:fr>ution',';tbat ; 'i:y'ent!iia''tb believe,TVe .shall;/be ■ ~ 'able..'.t6'', l ay;Vbefbre.,' :Earliameht . .proposals; ih.;regard;..tb^.e^istiij'g. ; . anomalies . which shall' be .more-, matiire4''ahd;shall .compare 'favputably"in''|oint'.'9f ihfor'm'a- '. tion/ahd;judgment',with,v:any/.,pr/opbsai 1 heretofore- ■ submitted..;' The' • '.Government '. ' inbt. only of;:deaHhg','wito!''the/"an'omalies ' I deal :;with;".them,'. as;far:. tlii possible;/ oh. a i retital'.impedi.ment; as I ,'far; :'as;:p.ossiblej. : I by dealing with ihem.as"a'-busineSs{'proposal. < :(Applau'se.) :-'.The^-;policy ; '"of/',the' ; Goverh- ' ment!ih/that-regard:-hadfhbt.. -changed'.in ; one/iota. : from; : that; wh"ich.;'was; published j before-they >'cam'e':intb,.being,/wheh it/,was i specially .stated -that : this;Governmehtprb's posed. no (interference protectionist ; policy, pf/this/cbuntry/.in' general; l save in r' the-rectification',,bf■' anbrnalies..- .Tnat'recti- . fication' i.we.ipropose'to.'carry',out>'bh the j- lines''of: the;existing,sta'riffi.i.:and,;ifollow.1 inc'/the ;sa'me/ ; pattern,': ; this information ) will.i also"; assist-rin'.;reciprocal <tariff/ con--5 :cessiphs..'/,We ;:'have -.'gbQd.sliopes s ,th,e,next.session^/Parliament::;..will•'.have 3 •before..:it..propdsals./foripr'eferential..;tfade r -vrftli. .have -.!nbt ; yet'.quite/come.'i.tbiterms;/and,,with' : ,New J anj^ddjtibh'Jbf'.the j o'p;eement ■ already cpm6'.tb,-.'with,/that;.l)o----l inji.nipn.' ;.It/wills,beX quiven'de.ay.purj..;as':',it j. always 'has■.been;,.,l^"^wprk';'thesellprbbositi'ohS.'as;a';m'eahs' : pf:. i uJuting.'ihe ; :Bnrish f dominions; if/At'.'.the/^me'itimejVwe:;shall j: j,. , w'e'attabh/tb.the'flscaKfluestion.' arises/from jj :the;relat^6h , t ai(d: oh;'.ca'pital;,^.an^vthe.'-;devel,op'ment. : .bi ithe' r : | great ~-Imp'erial > natibh'al //spirit.'; /;■ (Hear, „ hear;);^ v ;^';.'' , v'-;.i.--v:^V? ,, v»,V:'.'\:':'.V'' : '.\::'-' 9 ;//:/> ' '/!;.''.New ? -:.Protect|pli;/.,.,;.;// ~.;'; e New/protectibn'is/bne';pf thcWqn.estlpiis ►; iwith.;.whibh:.we...have' to.'deal.'(,'r<.ew,;prbt -tectum!.aims.,at.'.,se'curihg'tp-'all'tho.se.em- .- /hptvmereiy- pi|b: / itected/.industries—fair ' I ,;cbnd!tiohs; : "and ~ ■ ; hb,urs ,of /labour.''AVe; might/bp,/.inV:ata'. ,: .terial.';possessions;'-,the-;wearthiest>Vnatiqii in-the ,'whrl.tl,' and'iye't j'th'e"weakest-iah'd ; .tftis;'poorest in prospects,.of 'futa'rity;/:''rhe .. fate ;of' , /Australia''':tb'4ay//;n'nd;'.;'mbre,''.'bl .: .AnstraUa''to-mbfrbwv l ife-invthe-inen.'an^ women'-n'ho' J inhabit""'the';cbntine'n't'.V:;/(Ap : j plau'se.') ■/'r;lt>' : is,\becOTjo' ,i # v Jre>iise i :thji n 'lliat'the 'new.'/'prptecfioii ,'pbn!jes: : -with."its .; lessons.• .'ln'.the.'A'ustralian/peoplelwe pui j 'bur;', hope. 't/Thoyi'are.bur; i; :h3pe isto.sbeJeve.ryihdastry'in'Au'stralit p 1 with •'wages ; bpardi/ : and;-:the-"dis!Ticti y of'.those, boards conterminous'-'with''flv'erj « -Stafe/and'-'the'/multiplication cfvwagos o .boards. I. :them.all to'stand'-a fihaT court of : appea' h. |to;,prevent .unjust;competition as'betweoi h' possibly differing 'Verdicts' '•' of /differirij h wages:;bpards'in-';differ'ent''Stat'esi /to/.taki care that ..'no 1 ; State. suffers;beeau6e.it'-ha! ''■- established, a-'wages' 'board.' an'd' good; con -. ditiohs 'of .em'plbymeht..by;' inferior.:condi 10 tibns.of' employment,".equally;'legally <es Jt ta.blishcd, : .in" :■ My aim is. to see/an-, independent '.qualifiee K Commonwealth*'triburial.tb'/'p'r'eyeht.wah; J*. ;of. -harmony.■ and;avbid.'collisibn;'betweei ; different'boards in."different•. States.-''" Wi „.' have'tb;face'an-ppppsitiou.scheme;-;'.Whai '.is/itf/'lt.is/tp-govern'Australia: ffom ;tim j. ;Mntre.<:lt-..- 1 8 .. ahd;.conditio'nSi;'-pr •.ti-/hiake/inadequati ■■;' ;pro\isibn fbr^:them , /-It''is"for..legislatin'i

in!hlack and!white.without: a fuU-know-; ledge?of the. oircum6tanccs and- .the .adap? tation of" .those ',; circumstances-"in';the widely: differing:. districts:,.pf.. this enormous continent. . ' ';:'/ ..Certain- tq .Fail.;; .? :' I-; Such a; to, fail .in- its effect.. .It ■ will have - no other '■ result/than "an apparent .-uniformity' whioh;.)vould' not beVjust'.oT real; .You might as-well try to? administer, the roads: and. bridges and sanitary, affairs .of- Australia 'from •; one centre, as- tb: try, to- administer:its;industrial ;affairs?from one centre,;and;by -a single -Legislature? ,;Your ■'.- only,;. practical policy ;in' the .industrial, isphere,--/as -in the' general .sphere; is by-local industrial self-government; by:' providing for . .each State• carrying'.on its, own'; task. :The■ differences -in,.conditions can-.-only:.be adequately .'and 'fairly'' met .by a' 'complete system-of industrial self-government, jit is .nbt. to. be'accomplished by a ukase from some, 'authority infa' centre;-, but-by ;-.a judgment.of a. Federal .Court .supervising the .work;of ;'self-governinent such-as ex-, ists in.municipal affairs.; Even thb States hayp': offered'..to .connect' : ';their;" Wages Boards'.so. as to ,acoept.;,the-jurisdiction of;.a .supreme;; Commonwealth tribunal, and we.have.every. .hope, that - that', will be;;'accomplished. during this Parlianient. If.;;we .'should, fail" then. we.: will'iask the' people -to;giye..us,.the.'authority;to. do it; ..but-?I- 'feel.sure/'that -the policy; of; dpcentralisation .and.-.administration?-on ■ the spot, •'- when once'' it •is '."undersfopd;- ■ will appeal- to'" the '.whole ' of.' our '.-community. I rniust-'add-that. unaer our ',ihter-Stat« Commission?we..contemplate ,notv only' all such.inquiries', as .are.being,made:.by,-tho British''Board?of;Trade; • but more ]■'• inquiries;, and '.more'-, exhaustive-; inquiries intq'questions;of interest';to.and'concerning ',thb .walfara',of and; of '.ein'ployere and;.employees, as well' as?;concerning hew---protection, which more directly, concerns: the'employees. ~:''•-.-:;-;'i . .