FEDERAL LABOUR BUDGET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 916, 8 September 1910, Page 7

FEDERAL LABOUR BUDGET.

SOME BOLD PROPOSALS. MR. FISHER PROVIDES LIBERAL < ' DEFENCE VOTES. CONSTITUTION TO BE ALTERED By Telegraph—Pross Association—Copyright. •• (Bee: September 7, 8.15 p.m.) '■'::-. ■■■'Melbourne,'' September 7. . In tho House'of Representatives, tho Prime .■/Minister i Mr. /Fisher, .'delivered tho Budget to-day'.' ■ ; ','. ). •'.'•',;' I Tho revenue- for the year ending Juno 13, ; ; 1911; r is estimated at £16,841,629, of'which Customs' and excise aro ex-' pected to, yield £11,700,000, post and telegraph £3,856,000, the land tax . £1,000,000, and the coinage. £150,000. . The estimated. expenditure,, which absorbs' the whole of the revenue, includes :—£5,267,000, surplus repayable to tho States; £441,832, advanced ■from '.trust".funds;'/ £2,070,000, old ' age pensions;. £573,000, .sugar bounties;' £42,000, iron bounties; £18,300, other :bounties j' £100,000,- for.taking . the. census; £1,499,750, : ,for defence; and £2,324,400/ for new 'works,, including defence equipment.; / :-' The last-named item included £850,000, towards the fleet", i jinit; £20,000; • for military stores, (including field and machine guns); £50,000' for (Uniforms; £10,000 towards,the cost of the Military College ;•'■ £56,000 for small arms and "cordite factories;--£45,000 towards the. Federal : capital ;■ £15,000 for, wireless telegraphy; and £673,000 for telegraphs and telephones.'";•;'■■■ ■■ .-.*•■..:' s ■/'■ Payments to the States.., '. "The roveuue last -year .'was £5,538,440; and : -i the . Commonwealth expenditure £7,497,466,'-the amount returned .to' the States.being-.£8,492,406;. '.: -.. '•:.-".' : The estimated actual Commonwealth expenditure for: the current year shows/: an iiicfease: of -£572,670; :. while .the' . amounts'" repayable to :.the..; various/ ■States will" be:—New South; Wales, £1,!!50,870;.' Victoria;: -: .£1,479,804;, Queensland, £650,672; South Australia, £488;847 •Western '.'Australia,:£s72,o64 ; "and Tasmania, £216,243.. .Theso. figures allow for a special. payment to '. Western Anstraliar bf £250,000.':,; .-;/-: .; ;V( ■• The difference between the amounts repaid to .tho'States lis accounted for by. the ; Commonwealth taking over the payment of old age pensions..: . ''■:■' /'• •; . Mr./'.'-.Fisher ■■': stated ; that"v when ~£4,284,000.. had refened/ to., tho States the Commonwealth;would be free .'as i'regards. the Braddon Clause.;-', - - >In view of the.heavy lkoilities.pf the Treasury.- during the first.'six'.- months of'rthe financial-year, ';he^roposed- , to;, ask Parliament to .'authorise the use of , * million'; and; a tialf;.:: of -'.•■'the>/ "trust, funds,/'which/would./bo/r'epaid.from the ;revonuo/:befpre; Juno/ .30 /next.//;■■;.: .The, Defence Policy. ;;.;//.; ;/.; ! ' A .The ! ;defence.;expenditure';'-the ■■'Prim*, /Minister continued,/ amounted;/to ;12s.' Bjdi/per/head of^theipopulation.'.; The. Government-intended to. make the expenditure such; as/would ■ enable .the •Defence Department, to say ~ it, had ehpugh/'to. provide efficient land and;sea : defence;; All'the equipment /,;for.// the 'defence' services /would, be,made .locally.. iThe:; establishment ■;- of. ;/hbrse-breeding : .stations': would 7 be part of- the Govern-' ment's /defence \policy ( ; '-The.:-.,naval, policy' ..would be"announced later.-;.; .-■'-' ;,;,In ;th(! : old age.:,pensions-/estimate; 'there"was provision' for:invalid,pensions .'and!/the reduction/of the/age;bf .women pensipnera to' sixty.' ';/././; : : ;,'/ '.y..;;:;-;:-;^ / ; ;.::;, .-. .•-The postal"expenditure represented. 19s; iO^d-iper-'capita, /an/^increase//.of 4s.'';per*;capita.. : /Arrangements ; would; be. made. for/penny ■ postage 'to ...■■begin: ,frbin .Australia' t(i;;overseas couhiri*>, "on'MayA 1 next.' ; For,;all practical ! pur7, /poses:,'this meant penny/postage, to: all. ;6ver;; the. ; world. ;//Uniforni:., postage; throughout: the /Commonwealth .would operate/from '/January 1. ;,,.' :;-,/' • ./Another important. matter, was-/ ,tiie. All-Red be negotiated; for, for thb Governmeiit'thought a Hue right, through 'the /•Empire'/ desirable,: and/its .construction, /should; bo', at--tempted./ •/.;;. /•.:;■:///, ■'•/'/■' '■'•. ■■.: /;? Tenders would be called for ;'.tho Vancouver mail service.' .•.';';,,',: .':'• ./.'' . ■/: Regarding :: tho . proposed ;•; large • expendjtiire'on., lighthouses,;,tap Prime ' Minister thought they should malie tho Australian' coast'/tho"/best-protected in; 'the/world. ,■ ■'-;.■"• '.■; '■■. / ■ /.' ,: --.' ■' \■' /' '.Touching /the: note /issued; a.; satisfactory/interim arrangement/'liad 'been madetb print oh .the forms', of various tanks,;and'it was/proposed to commence the issue: of the notes', on December 1; /; / Amending the Constitution. / .;''lt.'was intended to/introduce a Bill' giving- the Federal, Parliament /power to ..prevent, and .settle /industrial dis--putes ; which were confined- to one/ . and;it was also proposed : tb deal with the'■ question of ;the nationalisation': of; inphopolies, and to seek, power to, pre-. Vent the formation of-trusts, and combines/:in restraint.; of '■ trade.,,/ The Government /suggested that a.' referendum to'fiho peoplo'/should be, taken on '.these/questions.'' -;•.■'/ -...■'-.■"' ;'■ ,■ ; /An early endeavour Would be "made to /give ; relief / as .regards 'tariff 'anomalies. ~-,:■ ._ ,: .'. ..'■' /The Governra'erit intended to deal with the question of taking over /the Northern Territory, from South Ails-' tralia/as soon 'as /'possible. /.The expenditure; involved, including the cost of/constructing the. trans-continental railway,' would, However, be enormous. ./;/ THE' DEBATE I'D JOURNED. / ;• (Beo. Soptember 8, 0.55 a.m.) Melbourne, September 7. The dobate., on the Budget was adjourned;. '•■ . /Jlr. Fisher stated that until. Parliament decided on another site;the Government would' proceed with the establishment -/of 'the : capital at; Yass- . Canberra.. /: