FEDERAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 58, 12 March 1904, Page 3

FEDERAL POLITICS.

» ■— THE AUDRESS-IX-REPLY DEBATE, MELBOURNE, March 11. The Senate hus adopted the Ad-dress-in-Reply. In the House of Representatives, during the debate on the Address-in-Reply, Mr Kelly said the policy of excluding Lascars from mail steamers was opposed to the best interests oi the Empire. Mr Webster did not think Mr Peakin was justified, in cabling to England that Australia was strongly in favour of preferential trade. Mr Bruce Smith declared that if the Government persisted in giving a bonus, the Opposition would revive the whole fiscal question, and fight it tooth and nail.; WARNING AGAINST DEMOCRATIC TENDENCIES. {Received March 11, 10.J7 p.m.) MELBOURNE, March 11. Hon, Oi C. Kingston, lave Minister for Trade, in the debate on the Ad-dress-in-Reply, warned the Government that there were already symptoms of a- fall from the democratic legislation. It was unwarily approaching pitfalls. The success of the Arbitration Act depended on compliance with its awards by both fades, and stern justice should be meted out to those who set the Act at defiance. He would strongly oppose excluding any portion of the shipping trade from the operations of the Act, nor should civil servants be excluded. The speaker favoured preferential trade, but would like to see colonial duties kept as they are against Britain and raised against the foreigner. He did not think that would come for some time, but when it did he hoped there would be no haggling over details. Mr Kingston said he did not like the idea of inviting any Imperial statesman to visit Australia. He advocated that because he considered Australian interests should only be dealt with by the Australian Government, which should make up its mind on any policy put by it before the people. He was inclined to resent the invitation to Mr Chamberlain. What .would be said, he asked, if Australians were sent to England to advocate their side of the Imperial issue ? The debate was adjourned till Tuesday.