AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 219, 14 March 1912, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

ENCOURAGING LOCAL INDUSTRY. RAILWAY COMMISSIONER'S DEFIANT ATTITUDE. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, March 13. In the Assembly the Premier made a statement showing that strained relations between the Government and the Railway Commissioner had arisen in connection with the supply of engines. The Commissioner asked that engines be imported from England to meet the traffic pressure, but the Government favored local manufacture. In 1010 they instructed the Commissioner to arrange the manufacture locally, and since then nothing further has been heard from the Commissioner. The Government faced the position, and must either depart from its policy and import engines or accept the responsibility of holding up next season's traffic. TWENTY ENGINES ORDERED IN ENGLAND. Received 13, 9.20 p.m. . Sydney, March 13. Cabinet has decided to forego its policy of manufacturing engines locally for the present, and has cabled an order to England for twenty. The decision was made with reluctance. ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE IRONWORKS. ; Sydney, March 13. In the Assembly Mr. Griffiths intro-, duced a Bill providing for the establishment of State ironworks by purchase or j creation. The Commonwealth require- j ments represent 1,000,000 tons of ore I annually, and the production of iron and steel therefrom would mean a wa«p« bill of £1,300.000. The Council is considering the In- '■ dustrial Arbitration Bill, and has deleted I several more vital clauses.