PREMIERS CONFER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 204, 24 May 1920, Page 5

PREMIERS CONFER

AUSTRALIAN NEEDS DEALT WITH

DEFENCE AND OTHER PROBLEMS (By Telegraph-Press Association-Oopyriffht • (Rec. May 23, 5.5 p.m.) i Melbourne, May 22. The Premiers' Conference Las opened. Mr. W. M. ; Hughes (Commonwealth Premier) urged tho necessity of an immigration policy to fill the gaps made in Australia's manhood by the war. The question of defence must be dealt u'ivK as dictated by prudence and .com-mon-sense. v There was need for a uniform railway "gauge. The time had come when something in that direction must ho done, as it would assist in the development of trade and. in dealing with the movement of stock in timeß of drought. referred to proposed developments' in aviation, including the pcstal purposes. He urged the need of tho Commonwealth and States acting ti getlier ns regards industrial legislation to sweep away the anomalies arising from .independent action. The' conference decided to send two delegates. to the afforestation conference.. Estimates were submitted showing that the areas requiring afforestation in the Commonwealth totalled 21i million The conference also recommended . the. establishment of a School of Forestry in New South Wales.

The conference resolved upon the introduction of legislation to provide uniformity in marking ■ Australian-made goods. In reference to unification of the railways. the conference considered that the conditions since 1913, when the cost waa .estimated at between twenty and thirty millions, had been and that it .was necessary to revise the estimate before the subject could be definitely dealt with. : Mr. H. S. Lawson (Victorian Premier) said it would _ now probably cost twice as much as in 1913.

The conference adopted a proposal under which a''member df a State Parliament may stand for the Federal Parliament without his seat in the State Parliament becoming vacant, and. if not elected he may automatically return to th? State. House.—Press Assn.,