The Federal Parliament.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 111, 5 October 1901, Page 3

The Federal Parliament.

Melbourne, October 3.

Mr Barton, in moving the second reading of the Pacific Island Labourers Bill, referred to the national importance of the sugar industry. There were over 108,000 acres under cane in Queensland, and the value of the sugar exported from that State during the last eight years was £9,000,000. The number of whites employed in the industry in that State was 6700, and the number of Kahakas was over 8700. The total value of the industry to Queensland in every phase was about £6,000,000. He olaiftel that the whole trend of iagitlaoion in Queensland had been that the employment of Kanakas was only a temporary expedient. All responsible public men there had confessed the undesirability of perpetuated coloured labour, and it was agreed that the Kanaka was not essential to the success of the sugar growing industry. He added that the traffic was inherently bad and must bo ended. The Government scheme would accomplish this without injuriously affecting the industry. The policies of the Government in regard to Kanaka labour and tbo tariff were so intimately interwoven that the two must be taken together. The tariff wou'd show that it was to the interest of planters to substitute white for black labour as early as possible. , This announcement is taken to indicate that growers will be compensated for the loss of Kanaka labour by heavy import duties. The debate was adjourned until Tuesday. The Labour party approve of the Bill, but the Queensland Premier strongly protests against it as too drastic, and says that if it is carried it Will nod be worth while planting another acre of cane. Brisbane, October 8. The Courier expresses similar views to the Queensland Premier on the Pacific Island Labourers’ Bill.