AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 213, 17 December 1910, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

r& THE FEDERAL REFERENDA. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, December 16. In the Legislative Council Sir Joseph Carruthers, ex-Premier, commented strongly on the silence of the Government regarding the Federal referenda proposals. He regarded the proposals as a vote of censure on State government. AN OBDURATE PARTY. Received 16, 9 p.m. Sydney, December 16. The sitting of the Assembly which commenced yesterday evening still continues. The Government is determined to push through the business, and declined to adjourn* The Opposition started stonewalling, and the atmosphere was electric, and during the day there were several small scenes. The Hansard staff is worn out, and is reduced to taking a note instead of a verbatim report. The Electoral Amending Bill passed. An attempt to avoid postal voting failed. The only important alteration is that Saturday has been abandoned as polling day, the new provision being that any day can be fixed for the elections, but it must be a half-holiday. Received 17, 1.10 a.m. Sydney, December 16. The Assembly is still sitting., MEMBERS' SALARIES *TOO SMALL. Received 16, 9.50 p.m. Sydney, December 16. During the debate on the Estimates in the Assembly, there were frequent applications of the closure, but fair progress was made. Several members spoke in favor of increasing members' salaries. Mr, McGowen, the Premier, said it surprised him how the country members managed to subsist-on the paltry £3OO a year. It had been suggested that he should introduce a Bill to increase the salaries by £IOO or £2OO, or to submit the matter to a referendum. He favored the referendum, and would submit the question to Cabinet. »