FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 232, 9 October 1901, Page 2

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

THE BUDGET SPEECH. TREASURER RECEIVED NVITII CHEERS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright} Melbourne, Oct. 8.

Tho Budget Speech was made to a crowded house and galleries of the Houso of Representatives. The Treasurer was received with cheers. lie thanked the committee for the kindly reception, and stated that he never felt so much difficulty in the delivery of the State budget, the reasons being the confusion of six different modes of keeping accounts in the States and the difficulty of getting tho precise information from tho other States on the questions to ho inquired into. They had to keep down expenditure so as not to denude the States too much, and as he sympathised entirely with treasurers, this would be done so far as possible. At the same time tho States had in some cases proposed hoavy expenditure, as they had had heavy demands made on them fur improved services. Complaints had been made as to the delay in bringing down the budget, but these were without foundation considering the severe work which had to be done. He explained the expenditure which he required : For defence, .€860,000 : Parliament, A'59,000: elections, £5,900, The estimated Customs excise revenue yield would be £2 7s 9d per head in New South Wales) and £2 0s Old in Victoria. In the Expenditure Department, the PostmasterGeneral required £’2,000,000. Ho estimated that in a normal year the revenue from the tariff should be £'8,900,000. For the current year, he expected to get a little over £'8,000,000. Ho expressed the opinion that there woul 1 be necessity for reviewing the Defence expenditure, which was mounting up. He announced his intention of arranging that building and other works where possible should come from revenue instead of loans, but much defence expenditure, such as large works, telegraph and telephonic expenditure, might well be charged to loans,. Ho ! intended to provide for going into tho market for a million. The absence of figures, owing to the oon fusion arising from the fusion of the- six system, left the Treasurer in the position that figures could not be given. He left Mr Kingston I to explain the tariff, saying, “ As a consequence of the enlarged expenditure they ’ must expect heavier duties in some directions.” The Minister of Customs followed in a long speech, which contained little information to hearers. He refused to produce the tariff, which contained the exact figures, till sitting down. After a criticism at some length by Mr Reid, the debate was adjourned. The tariff proposed many items lower than the Victorian, hut is loudly complained of by New South Wales members. The tariff included bacon and hams, 3d a pound; grain and pulse, n.0.i.0., per cental, Is Gd; ditto, prepared or manufactured, Id per pound! brau, pollard, and sharps, Is; per cental, enumerated, Us 64