FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 902, 28 May 1903, Page 2

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Melbourne, May 27. In tho House of Representatives Mr Reid opposed tiio Judiciary Biff being placed in ihe forefront of tho business. Ho approved of the proposed nava 1 agreement. Australians eouid not justify a refusal to pay tho £2UU,OOO per annum involved, lie argued with the decision of the Government to allow the question of preferential trade to stand over mail after the next elections, when it tho country decided in favor of protection the door might be opened a little more to thu Mother Country than the foreign countries. He thoroughly believed that if they wero going to shut the doors against British trade they should he shut closer to foreign trado.

Sir E. Barton’s reply to Mr Reid was not finished when tho debate was adjourned. Ho claimed that thu naval agreement was a reasonable adjustment of tho relatious between us and tho Old Country. Ho believed Canada would roaliso hor responsibility in the matter. A return laid on the table shows' that out of over 45,000 persons who were allowed to enter the Commonwealth last year without any test under tho Immigration Restriction Act, 14,286 were Lorn New Zealand.

The annual report of British New Guinea shows that the trado totalled £139,000, an increase of £IBOO over the previous year. Tho imports have decreased, and the ex ports increased. Tho tutal revenue was nearly £17,000, an increase of £I7OO.