PREMIERS' CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 170, 24 January 1912, Page 5

PREMIERS' CONFERENCE.

COMMONWEALTH SAVINGS BANK. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 23, 8.40 p.m. Melbourne, January 23. Tlie Premiers discussed a letter from Mr. Fisher regarding the savings bank proposals, regretting the decision of the Conference, stating that the proposals remained open, and hoping they might be accepted. After some warm criticism, most of the Premiers considered it amounted to a decision not to listen to the States, while Mr. McGowen was of opinion that Mr. Fisher was only sparring for time. A resolution was carried to the effect that the conference expressed its readiness to accept Mr. Fisher's proposals, subject to satisfactory arrangements being reached giving the States a reasonable share of the management of the Commonwealth Bank. Victoria and Queensland voted against the resolution. | A motion was carried in favor of a national exhibition, the Customs Department being appointed to take charge. WIDER POWERS FOR CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. Received 23, 10.35 p.m. Melbourne, January 23. The Premiers exhaustively discussed Mr. Holman's proposals, which providi for vesting wider powers in the Commonwealth. They were adopted in a somewhat modified form, after inserting a clause giving the Commonwealth power to deal with unfair competition between the States. LABOR v. LIBERAL. QUARREL ABOUT POWERS. j Received 24, 12.25 a.m. Melbourne, January 23. The divisions on Mr. Holman's proposals almost invariably show that the ;New South Wales and Westralian Premiers are representing Labor, against Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, representing the Liberals. The tendency of the conference was to restrict the surrender of powers to interState phases of industrial conflicts, to deny the Commonwealth power to fix prices in tariff-protected industries, and to make the High Court limit its action in determining what are to be the monopolies over which the Commonwealth should assume control. The proposals in an amended form are not acceptable to New South Wales and Westralia, and it is considered improbable that the States will proceed further with them in their own parliaments. Mr. A. Holman, New South Wales At-torney-General, proposed that the Commonwealth Government be vested with wider powers. Mr. Holman opposed handing over control of domestic concerns to the Commonwealth, but favored giving it power to deal with the new protection, with industrial arbitration, and wiUi nationalisation or control of inter-State monopolies. If the States permitted internal monopolies to continue, he said, they should stew in their own gravy.