AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 251, 16 October 1908, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

W'ANT-OF-CONFiDJJNCE MOTION. Received lli, 1 a.m. Melbourne, October 15. Ileforc the House rises to-n,gia Mr. lteid will move a want-of-confulence motion over tile Rudget proposals. FEDERAI. JiAIjA.N'CE SHEET. Melbourne, October 15. Sir \\. I.yne said the amount repaid lo tlis States last year was £8,859,5i)fi, winch was £1.080,000 above the tstimate. J n future the States would 'lot r,reive a penny more than the st.lt ntory three-fourths ol the Customs n venue. Since tile federation they hal received .€(1,059,000 ill excess of il'e three-fourths.

Tile estimated revenue for tile current yvar was £14.577,271. Customs am! excise were expected to yield £ll, 040 711, and tlie post office £3,483,000. Tlie estimated expenditure was tti.513,57!). Post ofliee appropriations would provide «;i increas-e of £220,000. Mio defence expenditure would b« £1.102,081 (in increase of £18,178. This was exclusive of the £250,000 lor coastal and harbor defence. The, amount lo be returned to t'u States was estimate,, nt £8,003,093 - a decrease of £795 904.

It was estimated that the Fedeinl old age pensions would cost £1 ??."i 000 per annum, the levy for tile eur.ro: year being £410,800. The proposals foreshadowed in ihe Budget include the establishing of a Federal stamp-printing oflice and ,'nk Coinage Bill, 'illie coinage of Australian silver and gold coin is exp-jhd to yield an annual profit of £sfl.CfO. The issue of Commonwealth notes it also foreshadowed. Reference is made to tile steady development of Papua. TIIE CAPITAL SITE. Melbourne. October 13. Tiie Federal Sciiatj will mai;e it« choice of a site for the Federal cnvital on the 2!rth inst. IMPROVING LIQUOR LAWS. Adelaide, October 15. A Bill has been introduced to im prove and extend the local option principle in connection with liquor licenses. Tbe Bill also provides for the rcgisfc."ition of existing barmaids and for the prohibition of tile employment of barmaids other than those now employed

AN EIGHT-HOUR DAY. Sydney, October 15. The Premier. Mr, C. G. Wade, gave an unsympathetic reply to a deputation which asked for the introduction of a Bill for the application of the lifilit hour day principle wherever ; Tacticable.

TASMANTAN POLITICS. Hobart, Octoiwr IS. A want-of-confidenee debate h nr - pressing in the Assembly action of tlhc Government in paying two Judges extra salary for iloins! tbe work usually performed by three.