AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 66, 27 June 1910, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne, June 25. The caucus has concluded consideration of the proposals to be embodied in the Governor's Speech at the opening of Parliament on Friday. Mr. Fisher, interviewed, was reticent, but stated that the Government intended to carry out the proposal to make the payment of 25s per head of population to the States for a period of ten years, with a special extra grant of £250,000 per annum to W r estralia. It was not intended to touch the tariff this session. He proposed to take a referendum on the question of extending the operations of industrial laws.

OLD-AGE PENSIONS. Melbourne, June 25. Mr. Fisher announced that the amendments of the Old Age Pensions Act would not be so extensive as previously foreshadowed, which would mean an .extra cost of £ 1,090,000 annually to the Commonwealth. The Government had power to reduce women's pension age from 65 to 60, and to proclaim invalid pension provisions entailing together an extra cost of about £.700,000. The Ministry did not mean to go .beyond that at present. NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT. Sydney, June 25. Mr. McGowan's want-of-confidence motion was negatived by 50 to 35, the final sitting occupying 25 hours. The Solicitor-General has made enquiries into the proposal to abolish the Legislative Council. He reports that it would mean a saving of £B7OB yearly to the State.