FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1779, 9 June 1906, Page 1

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT.

THE OFENING CEREMONY |

By telogranh, Piui Aii'n, Copy rlgh Melbourne, Ju-o 7

Lord Noitboitc qprncd tho last sefß'on of tbo eocond Federal Parlibnirnt. TLcre was a orowded nttendatfc.-y icolrd ng 1 sevorol hundred hdiee. .Tho Scddjns occupied prominent pos'tions in tho g lory. Too epoech ororud with a rfcfrrenos to tbo goneral pro’poiity throughbut tho Ccm monwralil.-botb Irado aid' fiooroe nffjrding most ODOOuregirg oxidenco of the soundness of business liefcrinoo ira* mado to tho Anglo French Now Hilrd.s agrceaor.t. Cabinet bad tbo edvar.t 'go o' oonfeiring with tbo P.imo Mius'er ol Now Zealand, and a cotnmur ication exp:casing tbrir views ooncerniDg tto projection of natives and prts rvaticn' of.: Australian ioteiea s in the group was bei g 'orwa-ded to the Colonial .Office, Thu fu'ure of Papua bod al-o engng cj stribus atto :tion du'iiß tho rtocs?, end,-’pri p.eali for the administrat’ou of I’jfua wou'd be lad b:fo-o Parliament. Meanwb 10, th I,iuc of a iroc.'amatioi bringirg tbo P-puo Ac into fotco and croating New Gu'nea a tsrr'toi.v of iho Commonwi allh was willlirld, Tbo South Austrelian Govirnmmt had offered the Njrlbern Tur'ory lo the Commonweal.h on certain teims, and nrgot'ations in the ma'.ttr were now pioceediDg. Tbo Cc mmrnwealth bad also exj rcased its wiilingn:ss to tako'ovor Noifo k Island aubj ot to tbo Impeiial Parliament's ; auction. Tbo Navigation 811 was being roviecd in tbo light of a report by a Royal Commission, and evidei oe t ken preparatory lo tbo Conference to bo b< Id in Linden. In regard to miliary appo'ntrnents preference in future would be g’ven io Austral an officers. Tbe continued negotiat'ou for prefefontial tia.’o with South Afrioa, Now Z aland, and ctbrr par.'s of tho Empire bad been advanced lontativo'y as far as desirable, in view of tbe piorent position of thb Tariff Commission inquiry. It was hoped that a Bill would bo introduce! during the session providing for tho expaosion of tbo commercial rtl tions with other peoples of British birth alec 1 . A Bill for tbo promotion of on imm'grot'on scheme had beeD pirp.red giviDg a-sistanoe to those ongrigid in tbe cultivation cl tbe soil and new industries. Cabinet would Bubmit views in ttfrroooe to tbe transfer cf State debts. Tbs 0.-t'matos wou'd bo fremod with a view to coon my, and immediate a'tcntion would be g'ven to a Bill for tbo prtfc vation of Australian' iudustii s and rrprossion of monopoiiee. A proposal to d:finitely’ determine the c>pitil site would bo eubmiltrd. 0:b:r Bills prom'ssd included ono for the ai p rintmont of a fourth High Court Judge, aod another for the prct'clion of Australian policy-holders in foreign insuratios oompimie*, also Bi Is dealing with quarantin-, lighthouses, end tbo appointment of a High Commissiontr

IMPORTANT LEGISLATION

By lelegraph, Press Ass’n, Copyright Melbourne, June 8. Ia (be Honse tbe Anti-Trust Bill was read a first time. Mr Willis irquired if the Government would miki provision to admit tho products rf tbo New Hebrides free, Mr Den.kin'replied that tbe Government wculd not subm't any such provision at present, but tbo question of admitting them freo to Australia and Now Zealand bad bein discussed with Mr Seddon.

Mr Deakin sa ; d that wheD dea'ing with the Frttph Ccnvcn'ion piopceals would bo made for incorporating in ttio convention Mr Johnson’s notioe of moion in faver if fieo importation of produots from the Hebrides to th 6 Commonwealth. A short d’seussion took pl. co in both Houses on the add G3s in reply, and the House adjourned till to-morrow, and the Secat ti l Wednesday. In the debate on Ibo Address in-Reply Sir A. Bonython announced that bs had otaDged duriDg the reocss into a militant protce ionisl. He understood, speaking oi tho largo number cf Protectionists, that the Government would have BtroDg support in carrying out the main features of their programme.

A L'bor cauous was held prior to tho opening of Parliament to consider a leso.u'ion relating to assistance being given to Protectionists, but the result is undivu'ged. The Commerce Act ocmes into operation to day. The regulation regarding making the marking.of goods compulsory is under consideration. Tho new anti-Trust Bill contains a number of alterations, the most important being that inter Sta'e trade will be definitely brought within the scope ot the moasure, and ‘'commercial trust” made to include a combination whether wholly or partly, within or beyond Australia. ■'Unfair competition " is difinedaathat which in the opinion of a jury is unfair in ihe circumstances.