THE FEDERAL FIGHT.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 53, 4 March 1901, Page 1

THE FEDERAL FIGHT.

SPIBITED CONTESTS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Brisbane, March 2. Altogether seventeen nominations have been received for the Federal Senate. Mr Barton has visited Bundaberg, and spent’ the day visiting the sugar plantations, and conversing with growers on the question of black labor. He was presentod with an address from the white workers, which eulogised his promised abolition of Kanaka labor. Sydney, March 2. Mr McGowan, leader of the labor party, in a speech said they owed no allegiance to any party in the Federal campaign. Ostensibly the issue as raised by the metropolitan press is freetrade or protection, but it was raised only to divide the people and to allow the Conservatives to gat elected. The real object was not to secure freetrade, but to kill the Labor party. The Federal campaign is in full swing. The voice of the political charmer is heard throughout the length and breadth of the Commonwealth. The various parties arc hard at work closing up their ranks, and from the large crop of aspirants are selecting bunches for the House and Senate. Unity is the burden and declared desideratum of every speech, but the ideas of unity are wondrously mixed, and deeply tinged in most cases by party predilections and circumstances, and by State boundaries. Every State has itspet question. The South Australians have the trans--continental railway and development of the Northern Territory as their fighting platform. The Westralian campaign is being carried on less ardently, though the social tariff concessions granted the State under the Commonwealth Bill are regarded as a source of much congratulation.

Tasmanian interests are more local than Federal, but they have a grievance, as they want more substantial representation in the Federal Cabinet, and the candidates are strenuously voicing that want. The Labor party are vigorously putting forward claims in the various States, and are providing a good quota of candidates.