PROSPERITY OF VICTORIA.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8743, 18 February 1907, Page 2

PROSPERITY OF VICTORIA.

Press Association.—Copyright. Melbourne, February 17. Mr Bent has delivered a policy speech. He said Parliament would bo dissolved about 21st of February, and the election would be held on tho 15th of March. Rarely had it been tho good fortune of a Premier, ho said, to tell such a golden story as he had to tell. After dealing with the buoyancy and increase of the general and railway revenue, he announced that a surplus of over half a million was assured for the current financial year. Tho position of the railways had changed from a deficit of .£305,000 per year to a surplus of £199,000 in three years. The Government intended to stand to its programme, which included liberal railway, irrigation and land development. Government proposed an amendment of tho Land Tax by classifying land according to producing capabilities. Old age pensions would be increased to 10s weekly. Bills would be introduced providing for a referendum on the question of Bible teaching in State schools, and to secure preferential voting, so as to cure the evil of minority representation; also for utilisation of prison labour in road construction and other reproductive work. Woman’s suffrage would be left nn open question for the Cabinet. Personally he was against it.