OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 55, 28 November 1907, Page 6

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

THE QUEENSLAND POLITICAL CRISIS. END OP THE NEWCASTLE STRIKE. (FROM OUR SPRCIAT, COKKESPONDENT.) ■ Sydney, November 23; That is a very pretty comedy which lias jiist been enacted in, Queensland. Mr.,l£idston, the Premier, finding some difficulty in getting his Bills through, tho. Legislative Council, sought the help, of tho Labour party in a union of forces against'the machinations of the wicked Upper Chamber. But tho La-bour-party did not exhibit any kcon anxiety to be caught with chaff, and practically told Mr. Kidston so. ■ Then he appealed to the Govornor to deal' with tho constitutional position of the Legislative Council—whether by tho appointment of new members, or otherwise, is not cloar—and hero again he found difficulty in his path. The Governor suggested . that, as there was no. mandato from tho peopjo on this subject, other methods should first bo exhausted before any oxtreme step was taken 1 . So Jli\ Kidston camo back to tho House and announced that tho country would, have .to get. a new Premier. This was. manifestly tho only,proper course for him to pursue, but lie took it with such a very bad grace that ho has succeeded in making himself look ridiculous. So obviously annoyed was he' at the turn events had .taken that , lie declined to assist the new Premier to got the usual adjournment to form his Ministry: Not only this, but he went to the extraordinary, length of proposing a resolution to tho effect that tho Houso did not-favour a change of Ministries. This; singular resolution, put forward by a man who has just resigned office, and before the.names of the now Ministers are known, will certainly find no precedent for its existence in May or Bourinot. The Opposition simply refused to: vote upon- it,, and walked out of tho House. It was, 'thus carried on the voices, and, was forthwith employed by Mr. Kidston as political capital. For, with the help of .tho Labour party, which gives him a, general, support, though it has declined to go the length ho asked, Mr. Kidston is in a'majority in. the Houso,, and this is the novelty of the present situation. • However, Air. Philp, tho new. Premier, succeeded in.forming,a Ministry, but a hostile amendment was .carried directly tho House met. The new Government was, refused Supply, whereupon-Mr. Philip wont back to tho Governor and advised a dissolution, and apparently, to tho surprise—nay, tho dismay—of Mr. Kidston, this , advice was accepted. His vexation is obvious from tho tono, of tho speech ho doliycred in the House when this announcement was made'to members. Mr. Philp, lje declared, was the only Premier Queensland had had who would hold office.by roasou of tho fact that the. Govornor held a shield over , him. The Premier, lie further observed, should bo able' to help the Governor, instead of getting tho Governor to fight his battle.; and so on. Finally, Mr. Kidston made one more effort to get back-to tho office he had just vacated. When the Premier sought yesterday : to havo Supply restored to the Order Paper, Mr. Kidston moved' an amendment that a memorial should be presonted to tho Governor, protesting against tho dissolution, and setting forth that it was probably unprecedented in any self-governing State of the British Empire that; a. House fresh, from the people should bo dissolved under the present circumstances; and that the present time was highly unsuitable for a. general election. , Mr. Kidston's majority carried this amendment by 37 votes to 27. . The memorial was duly presonted. to His Excellency, but the only useful nurposo it served was to drajv from Lord Olielmsford a little lesson on constitutional procedure which Mr. Kidston and his followers aro apparently badly in need of His Excellency says:—Paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 of your address deal with the constitutional position of the Upper House. That is a great constitutional issue with which the late Premier invited'me to deal.

I doclined, bccauso I considered it a matter too grave.'for a Govornor to. deal with without a mandato from tho peoplo. (Government "Hear, hears:") By the exercise of tho prerogative, of dissolution,, tho people are asked to say what thoy want done. I fully recognise the inadvisableiiess of, frequent general elections, and appreciate tlie inconvenience of. the, election at this time, but I regard it of paramount importance that tho country should speak its mind oil this occasion. Therefore, I havo, to decline the prayer of your address. 1 recognise tho full responsibility 1 havo taken on my shoulders at this trying time, but from timo to time, under the Constitution, tho Govornor has to tako responsibility, and I cannot shirk it when it is laid upon me. So there will be a dissolution, and another general election. , Possibly it, has nevor before happened in those self-governing countries that a Government has been refused Supply oil going to■ an'ejection, but Mr: Philp proposes to take the responsibility of seeing that the oivil 'servaiits' aro paid, trusting to get the consent of the .House when' Parliament meets, again. The elections will be hold, in the last'week in December or .the first week in January. ' • THE COAL STRIKE SETTLED. J , To the efforts of the Premier, of NW South Wales,'' Mr. Wade—who, as one, Newcastle miner declares, tried • tact and -'conciliation instead of tho more sinister weapons: which have iigured prominently on such occasions before—Catling Newcastle strike has been so far settled as to 'permit of tho intervention of a. special court to investigate the'grievances complained of! This tribunal will differ in one important-respcct from tho Arbitration .Court, inasmuch , as. tho two members sitting with tho President will "bo experts in regard to the coal industry. Mr. Peter Bowling, the President 6f-the Miners* Federation, vdio has boon prominently identified with tho. strike, will probably represent the men, and .it is likely that Mr. Learmonth, .chairriian of the Proprietors' Association, will act as tlie expert on behalf of the employers, while' Judge Heydoii, President of tho Arbitration, Court, will vory possibly act in a., like capacity in-tho new tribunal.. Mr.. Wade has, worked 'like a trojan for nearly .a week to settle this dispute, and lie lias had an able supporter jh Mr. Ashtonj the late Ministor of Lands, now an honorary member of tho Cabinet. For three or four days theso IVlinistors have sat in Mr. Wade's office in Macquarie ,Street from early morning till late at night, interviewing representatives from both sides in tho conflict, hearing their grievances, and by tact- and suasion bringing the parties together. Thoy kept so closely to this work that they hardly took time to eat food, but they'had tlie iriimerise satisfaction finally-of securing on agreement between the conliictmg interests, by which work has been resumed at oiicc in the'mines, and tho saner method of arbitration will take t-lu\ place of a bitter strike, which could bring only disaster and misery in its train. The chief difficulty found in drafting a basis of settlement occurred in regard to tho llbbburn mine, which has been closed down for some time. When it was proposed that this should he reopened with the others, the objection mado.by the proprietors was that if it were only partially worked, and tbe output was thus below tho normal quantity, they would incur certain penalties for shortage in supplies to those wit-li whom thoy had contracts, whereas whilst the mine was completely shut down they wero oxompt trom these penalties. Accordingly, the State Governments and the Melbourne Gas Company agreed to waive any claims for penalties, and this, ns Mr. Wade says, relieved tho situation immensely, and enabled the settlement to be arrived at. While admitting that both sides held strong views upon matters which appeared to them vital, the Premier states that no obstinacy was exhibited. Ho has taken tlie opportunity to deny also that there was any indication on the part of tho proprietors of reluctance come to a scttloinent. Nothing he observed during tho course of the negotiations, lie says, could havo justified such an imputa r tioii. In explanation of this, it should bo stated that it was-freely rumoured that for certain businessreasons the -collifry-owners wore indifferent whether tiie strike cont-imie l or not. This, on the face oi it, appears nonsensical. No business reason could possibly atone for the immense injury inflicted upoi)

the proprietors themselves by n long-con-tinued strike, so that, putting the thing upon the lowest ground—that of sclf-intorctft —it ;s wildly improbable that the owners would give away a mackerel to cntch a sprat. Tliey are bettor business men thai) that, or they would not have been colliery-owners to-day. So far as the readiness of the miners to submit the matter to arbitration is concerned, Mr. Wade. says.the fact that the workmen agreed to exclude from the consideration of the. special Court the question of restricting the owners in fixing the selling price o.f coal, and- also their attitude in permitting the right of the proprietors to work the mines with'machines to go'unchallenged, removed any obstacle to an agreement • as, to the nature of the tribunal. The news of the settlement of the trouble was received with rejoicing in the' Newcastle district, not only on tho part of the community generally; but amongst the miners. The strike undoubtedly camc at a bad time, because of the fact that the mines were busier than ever before, on account of the extremely, brisk demand for coal, and everv--0110 was looking forward to making plenty of money for the Christmas season. Now this bright prospect will be renewed, and appear all the more glowing, porhaps, because of the temporary interruption it has: suffered. THE ENGLISH ELEVEN. Cricket, has undoubtedly a strong - hold-on the Australian ■ people, and especially in .■Sydney, as is exemplified by the fact'that about. . 12,000 ~ people. went to the ♦Sydney Cricket # Ground yesterday to see the .English eleven . at ' the wickets—an excellent record for an off-day. fho great, performance of the. visitors on tlie last day of the match in Melbourne has cortainly stimulated interest in their play, if any such stimulus had been needed; 111 the match, with Victoria, the Englishmen, start-' ing on Wednesday morning at 10,23, and finishing in tho afternoon at 4.15 to catch the Sydney express, with an interval of fifty minutes for lunch, increased their score in the second innings fnjm 105 for oiie. wicket to 422 with nine wickets down, and thus secured a draw. Though on the figures the advantage looked for Victoria; it is hard to say what woul/i have happened had . the match been played ont, in. view of. the fine scoring of tho Englishmen all through that day. fliey .\v_6ro, when. stumps were drawn, 76 runs.behind, and had.one wiclcet to fall; but scores of .95, .91, 82, were-recorded during the innings, and as Hardstaff, with a score of 95, had settled down in real earnest, and was hitting the bowling all over tho placo, lie might have accomplished wonders had he played on. This batsman and Hutchings aro both strong men, whose batting will materially help tho team in its tour. The Sydney display, when tho English went to the wickets first yesterday, was not brilliant, though tho crowd enjoyed the risky which Hutchings made for his 35, when he drove Cotter about the field before ho was caught in the slips' by Hopkins. •

Speaking at a'reception'given the English team in Sydney, Mr. A. 0. Jones, the captain, said that while ithe team had been run down both in England and Australia,, they nil know how difficult|it was to get men like Trnmpor, Hill, Hay.ward, and Tyldcsley. The Marylobone Club had been asked to send a team to Australia, and when refusals were 'received from, half of those who .were considered' the best players in England, the prospect was black. But the Club was determined to send a team, out, and it had dono so. Whether tlici team was successful or not, he believed the effort of the M.C.C. would be. appreciated by all. Of.tho three matches played, they had won two easily, but lie was inclined to appreciate tho draw with Victoria almost as much as a victory. It showed' that his men' were able to put their' backs to the wall, and fight stubbornly when necessity arose.' Several'of tho now men had already succeeded. in • making centuries, and the other day Hardstalt had nearly dono the samo. THE DANTSZ MICROBE. . After nil the fuss made about tho probable results of the introduction'of' tlio Danysz microbe into Australia for tho destruction of rabbits, • it js amusing to read from tho conclusions of Dr. i/fidswell,-the representative of the Federal Government and tho Government of' New South Wales at the'experi-ments'conducted-by'Dr. Dansyz on Broughton Island, that there, is no danger at all. It was suggested that, this microbo, if it were once lot loose upon the mainland, .would kil.t not only rabbits, but all other animals, and birds—and perhaps fishes, if- it.. were "allowed to get into the water. Now Dr. Tidswell coines forward with the . reassuring suggestion that not only will it prove harmless to all these creatures,-, hut that its elli-. cacy as a destroyer of rabbits has not been satisfactorily .demonstrated. Originally 600 rabbit's'wero taken to ISrought'o'n Island for these experiments, and Dr. Tidswell (announces that these have multiplied to thousands. This' is in the. very home, of the microbe. Dr. Tidswell says that although the microbe could be' made to infect certain small animals,, there is no reason to apprehend danger from its use. Hence the deplorable pictures drawn of devastation of ,the'poultry herds, and cattle flocks of the State if Dr. Danysz were allowed to conduct his operations on tho mainland, . provoj in ■ the light ,Dr. Tidswell's report, so much waste: of ..'canvas. Dr. Danysz,, who has. returned; to. France, may come ,to Australia and. begin' his operations straight away, in any part' of the rab-bit-infested districts, as sooiras the Pastures Protection Boards, which, brought him. 'hero originally, sends another message. Not only will-he not. kill sheep, and dogs, and poultry, but it-appears, by no means certain, accord? iing to Lir. Tidswell, that lie, wijl .kill rabbits in badly-infested,areas. Tho'position., is .really amusing.. . W'hen doctors, differ, what becomes of the patient? -<" , SWEATED ' POST OFFICE EMPLOYEES; , 'Tho sweating at the General Post Office in Sydney is to cease —at least, there is to be no liiore overtime, so orders the PostmasterGeneral, and temporary hands' aro to bo taken on to prevent arrears of work from accumulating. This order is to come into force in all ' post' offices throughout tho Commonwealth in January next; hence, presumably, tho muddle, at the General l'o3t OiFice m Sydney, aiul the overwork which lias been demanded of the unfortunate 'employees there' will bo remedied. That there has been sweating in this establishment no oiie can doubt who endeavours'to foljow the erratic course of; mail-sorting in this city. This, quite apart from the-allegations.inado in ' tho House of Representatives by Mr. Webster and other Now South Wales members, and the .statements in : the Sydney " Morning Herald " asserting that chaos and confusion are the prevailing elements. If any private employer wero to treat his workmen ;as' the State appears 'to have treated tho Sydney Post Oflico employees, working them for long hours at inadequate pay, ho would, very soon find himself haled before tho Arbitration Court and severely dealt with. Now. Sir William Lyno has gently, stimulated 'the"Sydney' Post Oflico employees to frenzy by declaring that tho sorvico in Sydney is tho best-paid and easiest in Australia; find some of them, it appears, are vehemently demanding' a Royal Commission. THE LATE, MR, ROBERT BROUGH. Tho memorial fountain erected in tho quadrangle of Sydney Hospital, Maequarie Street,' by members of the theatrical profession and others, to tho memory of tho lato Robort. Brougli, was unveiled this week by the State Premier, Mr. Wade, in tho presence of many invited to witness tho ceremony by Sir Arthur Remrick (President of the Hospital). Mrs. Urough and her sisters (Miss Bessie Major and Miss Emma Temple), many of the theatrical profession, and others of the general public wero present. The fountain, which is of marble, is inscribed simply: "In memory of Robert Brougli." Mr. Wade paid a high tributo to the. wellknown actor-manager as a powerful actor, a successful manager, a good husband, and a sterling citizen. Music was performed at the funeral at I tarsi of the favonrito dog of a Hindu woman named Moni. On the thirteenth day after its death a feast was given to all the .dogs of tho neighbourhood. Messrs. J. L. Thompson and Sons, shipbuilders; of Sunderland, claim to liavo. established a record , by building tho steamer Blackwell, a vessel of 7500 tons, in sixty-* nine days. ■ ~: