UNITED AUSTRALIA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 23, 10 January 1912, Page 5

UNITED AUSTRALIA.

riIESENT FEDERATION NOT SATISFACTORY. NEW CONSTITUTION PREDICTED. Hobart, January 9. At the Labour Conference Mr Fisher, in a speech on the -unification motion, said the present Federation did not give satisfaction to the States, which complained their functions were usurped. The constitution was altogether too restrictive, and- prevented representative's of the people from giving effect to the 1 people’s' 'will. He invited the representatives of labour to face the question boldly. 1 : He predicted that a party wouldHisc' which would demand a brand’new constitution. ' a r r± ■’ fisher‘ on Minimum federal POWERS. MOTION DECISIVELY DEFEATED i (Received:3.XO,. ;^pO,s a...n}>), Hobart, January 10. During the Unification debate, Mr Fisher declared that the Commonwealth was hampered at every turn with reference to questions of health by the shipping; jpnd railways. The powers asked for at the last referendum were the minimum needed for the National Parliament to protect the interests of the whole people. Even with them it would he difficult to effectively deal with monopolies. Mr. McGowen made a strenuous defence of State rights, and, said it would be dangerous to give the Commonwealth power that would enable supreme authority to be exercised. After a long discussion with closed doors, the Conference officially announced that the Unification motion had been defeated by nineteen votes to six. The motion that the Federal Government should own and control railways was also defeated by seventeen votes to three.