AUSTRALIA TO-DAY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14956, 1 May 1914, Page 8

AUSTRALIA TO-DAY.

Cfßoir ora own coasEsroxnENT.)

SYDNEY, April 25. FARMERS AND STRIKERS. One cannot help thinking that what the farmers of New Zealand did towards bringing about the breaking up of tho waterside striko in tho Dominion was a considerable factor, by way of example, in causing tho termination of tho industrial trouble in New South Wales which threatened to become very extensive and serious. There has been, and still is, trouble between the rural workers' section of that very powerful organisation, the Australian Workers' Union, and farmers over tho harvesting and handling of chaff. Although they themselves had no dispute with their employers, and had no directions irom their union officials to engage in any boycott, members of the Drivers' and Carters' Union at Sydney refused to have anything to do with the delivery from tiie railway yards of chaff which the A.W.U. designated "black." Thoso individual refusals led to tho dismissal of some sixty carters. Merchants and owners of live stock were made very anxious and angry over their inability* to get the usual supplies of fodder, and the A.W.U. was working in the direction of a grave extension of trouble. Then it was learned at tho beginning of this week that the farmers were coming to Sydney to work as carters and to ensure the proper handling of their produce. Some had already reached Sydney, and wero ready to set to work on the following day, when it was unexpectedly announced that- the trouble had been settled on the basis of a promise that endeavours would be made to bring rural workers within the provisions of the State Arbitration Act, from which they are at present excluded. With farmers ready to take their places, and with public opinion apparently out of sympathy with the boycott by the Sydney carters, the promise by tho Government about rural workers and the Arbitration Act was readily accepted by the carters as justification for an immediate return to work. The Australian AVorkers' Union, which had hoped to enlarge its sphere of lntimidatory influence at the expense ot the farmers, is not at all pleased with this termination of the trouble as far as Sydney is concerned." The farmers are pleased. They say that with no interference with their produco in Sydney they are all right, as they have found that the A.W.U. is not able to prevent the regular course ot agricultural operations on the farms. AVHITE SLAVERY. Despite soothing assertions by the police, who may bo credited with an irclination to save themselves trouble, many people in Australia have a more or less definite belief that the dreadful ,white slave traffic has gained a. footing here. At gatherings of bodies which chiefly concern themselves with the matter, there are persistent allegations to the effect that tho evil has obtained a beginning, but, _ unfortunately for the advocates ot immediate drastic action of some kind or other by the police, no convincing evidence of the existence of tho traffic is brought forward. What is proved, and what in the minds of many is confounded with the white slave traffic, is that a distressingly large number ot rrirls allow themselves to be seduced from tho path of moral rectitude, lo secure amendments of the law to the end that the seducer may be very severely punished (it seems to he overlooked that girls not PJ"°P c . rl y.,^ k £V after by parents may . be. inciters to mischief) such organisations as the Women's Political Association of Victoria, are taking as their watchuord "Women in Pai■.■ainent.» The Associ ation named was very indignant when a deputation from it failed to secure access to the recent Premiers' Conference for the discussion of matters loosely described as the white slave traffic It has at its head very eeemtj, and some highly capable'ladies and it will not be at all surprising if in the ear future it gets the first woman Sbir into an Australian Parliament. THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY. What General Sir lan Hanulton wy* in his official report on the detenco system of Australia, and about the material enmoyed m with, after his survey in the ™V ac W of Inspector-General of Oversea lorces, to Scd on all sides with expressions of great satisfaction . A\ care glad to have the assurance that while the Australian Army would be able to cive a good account of itself m war, it is a powerful guarantee of peace. While there -is a chorus of gratification over the character of Sir Tan Hamilton's report, thoughtful readers of the report have not failed to discover that Sir lan urges unabating progress with a good scheme, suitable to Australian conditions, which is stm in its initial stages, and needs to be tightened up here and there Nevertheless, it is satisfactory ,o be told that our work i s on right hues, which a soldier of high qualification can cordially commend.

A BID FOR POWER. Since New South Wales largely determines the political colour oi tne Commonwealth legislature * >f *£* ural that even tho present situation in Federal politics is overshadowed as regards general »t te °*~? by vita! happenings m New Soutn Wales. Air TD. Meagher, a lawyer with a past, whoso ambition was not appeased by bis elevation to tne Speakership of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, > making a bold bid against tho Premier, Mr Holman, for supremacy in the labour caucus. While Air Holman was away in Alelbourne at the Premiers Conference, Mr Meagher succeeded m getting a majority in caucus to adopt a resolution to the effect that before any appointments are made to tho Legislative Council tho names of tho proposed appointees must be approved by caucus. This resolution, which was known beforehand to bo obnoxious to Air Holman, is defended on the ground that it is in accordance with, and m fulfilment of, a resolution carried at the Political Labour Conference. Labourites who range themselves on tho side of Air Holman in this fight for chieftainship, point out that the Conference resolution was that the names of prospective Lesislativo Councillors must be submitted, not to caucus, bnt to the Political Labour League executive, which is a different thing altogether, inasmuch as the Conference, called by Air Aleagher "the citadel of Labour," wants to retain domination over caucus as well as Labour Ministers. Air Holman takes his 6tand mainly on constitutional grounds, and says he will not assent to so unconstitutional a position as caucus dictation in what are essentially executive acts, which Alinisters alone can.perform. To this the reply is made that, consistently with the Labour policy of breaking clown old constitutional practices, Air Holman himself established a precedent for the latest move by letting caucus select the members of his Cabinet. The deciding ground of the Aleagher-Holman contest, upon which a great deal depends, will be in a caucus meeting to be held next Alonday week. Aleanwhile statements and interviews pablished in the newspaper? are fanning feeling to 6trong heat. Afen who profess to know something of what coes on behind the scenes, say that while the hands of the Polirical Labour League have been quite willing to use Mr Meagher as a whip for brineine the reealHtrnnt Premier into subiection to the P.L.L.. they are now seriously alarmed for the fate of the

-fcabonr—Party -in New South—WalesLegislature on account of tho prospects of Air Meagher beating Air Holman in the struggle in caucus. Such an issue to the struggle must mean a very serious set-back to Labour, which will lose tho fruits of years of toil if Air Meagher becomes the recognised head of a disrupted party, or if the Liberals are let into office through the breaking away of Air Holman and his associates from the party. THE *EUCALYPTU"S. Quito a flood of testimony is being given by visitors to the effect that our Australian eucalyptus trees, like the prophets, are most honoured in countries other than their own. Tho visitors tell that they are astonished at the thoughtless wholesale destruction here of forests of eucalyptus, whose annihilation has been of very little benefit to anybody, and whose restoration must take generations. Thus wo are informed that Australian eucalntus, large areas, are carefully cultivated in America. A lnrge quantity of highgrade and fashionable furniture is made there from eucalyptus wood, which is called by the trade Circassian oak or ash. The manufacture of eucalyptus oil, a proved valuable extract usable in mnny ways, is n'so being developed on a wholesale scale in America. So highly is the eucalyptus esteemed in India, where it is being grown for afforestation purposes, that an officer of tho Indian Forest Department has been sent to Australia to secure further information as to which varieties thrivo best at different elevations. All this information comes to the average Australinn in much tho same way as a farming family might learn that the duffer of a lad who cou'd not be relied upon to even shut a crate prorerly was an artistic genius. It , s mighty late already to talk of saving our native forests, but those who havo been preaching preservation for years aro honeful that the evidence coming from abroad will lead to early effective public and private action. LIMITATION OF WORK. It is being made clear, at the expense of a miner of Bnllarat. Victoria, that a man cannot work as much as he likes in Australia. This miner, a man named Dale, has occupied some hours of his snare time by working at a foundry. For this he received twelve shilling's, and at the same time earned the vigorous denunciation of fellow members of tho Alining Employees' Association. What makes, matters worse from tho point of view of the protesters is that Air Dale is a member of tho committee of the Association. He was summoned to attend before the c:ommi(teo to give an explanation of his breach of a first principle of unionism. Air Dale did not comply, whereupon ho was called upon to resign. His was to coolly attend the next meeting of the committee and take his accustomed placo at the committee table. His plea is that he has transgressed no union rule, and that tho disposal of his leisure time is his own affair. This attitude of defiance i.s interesting, but even Air Dale cannot believe that it will be successful.