What arrangements have been made by the Government for a final fight between Albury and Tumut, and what is meant by the statement that it is to be a "fair go"?

ter.

Sir EDMUND BARTON.-I ask my honorable friend not to found any opinion upon a newspaper paragraph of that characWe all know that these statements are sometimes the result of mere speculation and political kite flying. The motion of which I have given notice, and which will be gone on with, provides for what has been termed a "fair go" by means of an exhaustive ballot, the regulations for which are to be drawn up, with the concurrence of both Houses of Parliament, by the President and Mr. Speaker. I have not the slightest doubt that under them honorable members will be able to give effect to their opinions by their votes with the utmost fairness.

NEW MAIL CONTRACTS. Mr. WILKINSON.-I wish to know from the Prime Minister if he has any further information to give the House in reply to the question I asked him yesterday concerning the regulations passed at a meeting in Brisbane about the new mail contracts, a copy of which I handed to him then?

Sir EDMUND BARTON.-I have no more information on the subject, except that, upon making inquiry in my Department, I ascertained that no letter covering such a resolution had been received up to this morning. MEDICINE CHESTS: TELEGRAPH OPERATORS.

Mr. KIRWAN asked the PostmasterGeneral, upon notice

Whether medicine chests (with instructions as to the use of the medicines) are provided at the cost of the Post and Telegraph Department for telegraph operators at isolated stations where there is no medical officer within reasonable distance; if not, will he see that such necessaries are provided?

Sir PHILIP FYSH.-The answer to the honorable and learned member's question is :

--

Medicine chests and instructions for the use of medicines are not generally supplied at such stations. The question of supplying medicines and instructions will be considered, either in con nexion with the district allowances provided for by Public Service Regulations 168 and 169, or otherwise at an early date.

SUPPLY BILL (No. 3).

In Committee of Supply:-Sir GEORGE TURNER (BalaclavaTreasurer). I move

That a sum not exceeding £658,500 be granted to His Majesty for or towards defraying the services of the year ending 30th June, 1904. As I mentioned last night, I am anxious to obtain supply for two months, and it was then my intention to ask honorable members merely to agree to the formal stages of a Bill, and deal with it finally to-morrow. I understand, however, that there is a general desire that we should not sit to-morrow, and that the Prime Minister is willing to consent to an adjournment until Tuesday next if the General Estimates and the Works and Buildings Estimates are passed to-night, the one clause of the Naturalization Bill which has to be recommitted dealt with, and the second reading of the Patents Bill moved. Under these circumstances, I shall later on ask to be allowed to put the Bill through all its stages during the present sitting. I have already circulated a statement giving the details of the proposed expenditure. All I ask for is a vote to cover the ordinary services of the Departments.

Mr. BROWN.-Is it proposed to put the whole of the Estimates through to-night?

Sir GEORGE TURNER.-I understand that that is desired.

Mr. THOMSON.-I presume that the items in the schedule of the proposed Supply Bill are contained in the Estimates, and that the amount for which the Treasurer is asking is simply a proportionate amount of the estimate.

Sir GEORGE TURNER.-That is all. Question resolved in the affirmative. Resolution reported.

Motion (by Sir GEORGE TURNER) agreed to—

That the Standing Orders be suspended in order to enable all steps to be taken to obtain Supply, and to pass a Supply Bill through all its stages without delay.

Resolution adopted.

Resolution of Ways and Means, covering resolution of Supply, adopted.

Bill presented by Sir GEORGE TURNER, and passed through all its stages without amendment.

SUPPLY.

In Committee (Consideration resumed from 16th September, vide page 5164): DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE. Division 38 (Chief Administration) — £4,706.

Sir JOHN FORREST (Swan-Minister for Defence). I should like to afford honorable members a little information with regard to the matters which were mentioned by the honorable and learned member for Corio last

are

evening. It was stated by the honorable and learned member that a large number of the men belonging to the Royal Australian Artillery were being kept in Melbourne, instead of being stationed at the forts at the entrance to Port Phillip. The inference I gathered from the honorable member's remarks was that the number of men now in Melbourne was larger than formerly, and that these soldiers would be better employed in looking after the guns at the forts. I find that there are 232 men on the establishment of the Royal Australian Artillery in Victoria. Of these, 142 stationed at Port Phillip Heads, 85 are at the Victoria Barracks, and there are five vacancies. I am informed by the General Officer Commanding that there are thirty less Permanent Garrison Artillerymen now in Melbourne than immediately prior to Federation. This small detachment of eighty-five men is now kept in Melbourne for the purposes of guarding Government House, forming guards of honour, escorts to the Governor-General, performing technical duties, and giving instructional services in connexion with the schools of instruction recently established for the Militia and Volunteers. With regard to the case of Sergeant-Major Coffey, who, we were informed, had died of phthisis and from disease contracted in South Africa, I

am informed as follows:

Sergeant-Major Coffey served with the first Victorian contingent, and was invalided suffering from phthisis. He was granted a temporary pension of 3s. 6d. per diem by the Imperial authorities on 5th August, 1901, and the State Government supplemented this by another 3s. 6d. per deim. He died on the 18th September, 1902, and the widow was granted £10 for his funeral expenses, and has since been in receipt of an allowance of 21s. per week from the Patriotic Fund Committee. The conditions attached to pensions provide that unless the soldier dies within twelve months of the date of contracting the illness, no pension is granted to the widow or relative. Sergeant-Major Coffey did not die until two years after contracting the disease. A representation with regard to Mrs. Coffey has, however, been sent to the Imperial Government, on 22nd May last, asking their favorable consideration as regards the case of the widow.

Mr. BROWN.-What was the nature of the reply received from the Imperial Government?

Sir JOHN FORREST.-No reply has as yet been received. With regard to the statement that the pay of the Permanent Artillerymen in Victoria had been reduced, I find that the following are the facts :-New rates of pay for the Permanent Artillery were adopted from the 1st of July, 1902, to apply

to all new appointments, and to those serving only when re-engaged or promoted; and these recommended by a Pay Committee appointed rates were in accordance with the rates of pay specially to consider the same. These new rates of pay, as compared with the old rates of pay in the three large States, where there are the largest establishments of Permanent Artillery, viz., New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, are an increase on the average daily rate for non-commissioned officers and men ; but involve a decrease in Victoria in all ranks except that of warrant officer. They are an increase on the old rates in New South Wales and Queensland. Therefore when non-commissioned officers or men at present serving, finish their period of engagement, they lose in pay in Victoria, except in the case of warrant officers, but gain in all ranks in the cases of New South Wales and Queensland. The honorable and learned member entertains the view that officers are treated better tions. That is not so. than the men under the new Pay regulaI find that the

facts are as follow:-adopted for them are less than the former preWith regard to officers, the new rates of pay vailing rates for the respective ranks in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. Whereas

no non-commissioned officer or man has been

brought on the new rates unless he is re-engaged or promoted, all officers were brought on the new rates of pay at once, and fourteen of them in consequence suffered a reduction in pay, the rule being adopted that where the officer's salary was above the maximum of the new rates, it was brought down to the maximum. Concerning the remarks of the honorable and

learned member in reference to the reduction in Victoria, I find that— of 6d. per day in the pay of the carters

When the new rates of pay were adopted, all the rates or allowances for special duty pay were revised by the artillery officers, and whilst two carters in Victoria previously received 1s. special duty pay per day in connexion with carting the stores, they now, under the new special duty pay, receive only 6d per day. The total pay, however, with these allowances, amounts to 4s. per diem, or 28s. per week, and this is, of course, exclusive of their rations, uniform, quarters, fuel, light, and medical attendance. These privileges may certainly be said to equal, at least, 2s. per diem more, which would give a total remuneration equivalent to 42s. per week (68. per diem, as they are paid for Sundays). It is understood that the usual pay of carters employed civilly is not so high as 42s. per week. As a general rule, the amount of carting done for the Victorian Artillery is not very onerous. This information was supplied to me only this morning, and I thought it would prove interesting to honorable members, and especially to the honorable and learned member for Corio, to whom I shall be very glad to furnish a copy.

Mr. THOMSON (North Sydney).—I had intended speaking at some length upon