PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9390, 9 March 1909, Page 5

PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE.

United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Hobart, March 8. ' Messrs Fisher, Mahon and Hughes attended the Premiers’ Conference. Mr Fisher j in a general statement, outlined the growing requirements and expanding obligations of {the Commonwealth and intmated that be would disclose the financial policy of the Government in a speech to be delivered at Gympie at the the month. He had no scheme to submit to the regarding a settlement of the Braddoa clause difficulty, but he would be glad to receive any representations \ the Conference had to make, Mr Mahon dealt with the lavish expenditure of some of the Stater. Although Federation in 1900reliev8d them of departments costing four millions annually the expenditure of the States had grown from to 1)4 millions. At the same time, the population from the date of the Fedeiation to 1906 £had remained practically stationary. It would be idle to contend that any development in Australia during the past eight years had warranted such a huge increase in the cost of government.