FEDERAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 85, 21 March 1902, Page 3

FEDERAL POLITICS.

MEB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Mkubouhot, March 19, Sir George Turner estimated that the Federal Tariff would bring in .£8,587,000 or £587,000 above bis previous estimates. Even at the higher estimate this year would be .£463,000 lees than a normal year. He bad underestimated the New Soulh Wales revenue, by £351,000, but even at the present estimate, it was £500,000 less than a normal year could produce. As ie Queensland, owing to drought aod other causes, there had been a falling off of £123,000, and owing to reduction nude in tariff and articles placed on the free .list, there had been a loss of revenue to extent of £300,000! and there wouid be further loss by placing took and some lines of machinery on the free list, Against this had to be placed Che emise duty on opium, apirits, andcigarettw, totalling £BSOOO. There would alia be a number of other j items, but the revenue therefrom w> u'd botamount to much. Melbouine, March 20. Sir George Tarner said the present figures showed that the States received for the present year the following MDoanta from Customs over the amounts received in previous years:— New South Wales £926,000, Victoria £BI,OOO, South Australia £44,000, and Wsstralia £162,000, while Tasmania would show a decrease of £IIO,OOO, and Queensland a decrease of £380,000. In Westrslia the reveDue instead of beiog £Boo,oooas estimated, was £1,107,000, j the increase being in oversea trade alone, GOVERNMENT DEFEAT. i L. " Melbourne, March 20. The Senate gave the Government a nasty set back by striking out from the I Electorial Bill the proportional representation clause by a two to one majority, '