N.S.W. POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 September 1927, Page 1

N.S.W. POLITICS

MR. BAVIN’S POLICY. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 9. Mr Bavin delivered a policy speech at Catswood to-night. Referring to the City Council ho said the Nationalists. if returned, would suspend the operations of the present City Council and place tlio city under the control of a Commission, which would be invested with power to investigate municipal records for the past two years, and carry on the government of the city. One of the Nationalists’ first duties would he to rehabilitate Parliament and make it secure against attacks on it in future. A Bill would be submitted to amend the constitution in order to secure that the Legislative Council I>o not abolished nor its constitution fundamentally altered, without the consent of the electors. The number of its members would be limited to sixty, and tenure be limited and a Council formed on elective basis to provide that tlie Council not be a mere replica of the Assembly. This Bill, if passed, would be submitted to the electors by way of a referendum. Ho also proposed to legisate to co-or-dinate Federal and State Electoral systems by a complete redistribution of the present electorates. An Electoral Commission will be formed which will be free of Ministerial influence. Tt would have to align the State electoral boundaries on a basis of three State electorates to each Federal electorate. This would mean a, reduction of the number of State members from ninety to eighty-four. They would also review the incidence of taxation in an endeavour to see the burden of taxation fall on those best able to bear it.. Referring to loans, he said ho would co-operate with the Commonwealth in order of the State’s proposals. Ho would also become a party to a migration agreement with the Federal Government. Referring to industrial arbitration ho said the present system would also he maintained for industries governed by awards, and the forty-four hours act would not he disturbed. He also favoured childendowment, but the present act was hastily passed and would he reviewed particularly regarding tile methods oT Tvianeing. Large estates, when not being put to the most profitable use, would he sub-divided to enable more people to settle on tho land and migration of suitable persons of British stock would bo encouraged.