CONTENTS
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I. [ LIBERALISM AND LABOUR IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ] | PAGE |
| Contrast between Western Australia and the Eastern Provinces—The Constitution of South Australia—The alliance between Liberalism and Labour—Joint action in the face of financial depression: Village Settlements, Progressive Taxation, the direct encouragement of production—The advocacy of an Elective Executive—The State and Religious Instruction | 1 |
II. [ DEMOCRACY AND ITS SAFEGUARDS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. ] | |
| The necessity for safeguards against financial extravagance and political pressure—The Crown Lands Act—The appointment of independent Railway Commissioners—The Standing Committee on Public Works—The Public Service Board—The unemployed, their numbers and treatment—The democratisation of the constitution—The Labour Party, its history, successes and aspirations | 34 |
III. [ PROBLEMS OF QUEENSLAND. ] | |
| The agitation of Central and Northern Queensland for separation from the South—The "Kanaka" traffic—White and coloured labour on the plantations—The Sugar Works Guarantee Act—The irregularity of employment in the sugar and pastoral industries—The conditions and opinions of the shearers—Assistance to dairymen and producers of frozen meat—The Labour Party, its history and prospects—Criticisms of the Government—The principles of State action | 54 |
IV. [ THE LAND POLICY OF NEW ZEALAND. ] | |
| Differences of conditions between Australia and New Zealand—The Public Works policy—Taxation on land—The Land Act of 1892—The Land for Settlements Acts—The Government Advances to Settlers Acts—The encouragement of settlement—The co-operative construction of Public Works—The unemployed—Continuity of policy | 82 |
V. [ CHARACTERISTICS OF VICTORIAN LEGISLATION. ] | |
| Comparisons between the Australasian Upper Houses—Conflicts between the two Houses in Victoria—The proposed obviation of deadlocks—The utility of the Legislative Council—The antagonism between Town and Country—The Factory Acts, their justification and provisions—State Socialism: Railways, Irrigation Works, the encouragement of Mining, Subsidies and Bonuses, State advances to Settlers—The Unemployed and the Leongatha Labour Colony | 121 |
VI. [ THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ] | |
| Constitutional history—The relations of Church and State—Natural impediments to development—The construction of railways—The scarcity of water—the promotion of the mining and other industries—The absence of parties in Parliament | 156 |
VII. [ DISCURSIVE NOTES ON TASMANIA. ] | |
| The restriction of the immigration of coloured races—Betting and lotteries—The adoption of a modification of Hare's System of Voting—Conflicts between the two Houses of Parliament—Finance and Taxation—Land Grant Railways | 170 |
VIII. [ FEMALE SUFFRAGE ] | 184 |
IX. [ THE EVOLUTION OF A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ] | 212 |
X. [ SALIENT FEATURES OF THE AUSTRALASIAN DEMOCRACY. ] | |
| Indirect effects of the discovery of gold—Causes of the financial crisis—The origin and extent of State Socialism—The thriftiness of the working classes—Labour Representation in Parliament—Parliamentary Government—Direct Taxation—Conciliation and Arbitration in Industrial disputes—Protection and its corollaries—The feeling towards Great Britain—General conclusions | 244 |
XI. [ A VISIT TO THE COOLGARDIE GOLDFIELDS IN MARCH, 1896 ] | 303 |
[ INDEX ] | 317 |