OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 75, 21 December 1907, Page 12

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

' dkvkaCE proposals, - ■ 'A FORCE DP 218,000 MEN. ■, ' THE NSW;.TARIFF. ' . '(« wn erscuL con respondent.) Sydney, December 14. '.The t iosals of the Federal Government were m. : known in a long and interesting statome'.i, in. (ho Jtouse of • Representatives by-the i'riu.e Minister, Mr. .Deakin; last night; id, yr i have no'doubt'been' informed y cable, chey. provide for a scheme of universal (.iii' ing, in order that a natipnal guard c' Hcfoii'-- may. be formed -in which every y m.-n of .the Commonwealth, will 1)0 I'eq- ] tu : ;ve during his 19th, 20th, and 2' • ~.vir. . \ ■

It ' ; jar by the Prime Minister -that ■ o '1.-rr ont i'ccoghised. that the defence "'!■ i.iiiiiiro rested chiefly with the navy. m'. thai the- best defence of, this count. « -iiiiii I. what lie termed, a' " maxiiriuni c-f naVahri'-." so that an enemy should bo P '.vpini.d ') .'i landing on these sljores:. In iS. i-.'n In'la Mr.' Deakin communicated; with 'i n Arfmii. 'ty, suggesting, in'place of the :O;,-in.onwealth''subsidy ah offer of 1( . jFtir w, -' istrali.nns if possible, to be paid by die r.'on ■ mwealtli for service in. tlie; navy c i (I'' ,-t.: ii', at ii'n 'estimated cost, to Aus - . vytii*. i- atK»« £100,000. per-ahiium, .the roil.-- iof i'i.- present"subsidy to. bo ap r plic. by ..-iie Co:!:::ionwealth.to'submersibleß, or : .t. Miyi'.rs, similar' local defences, as sug: M'.f! ni n< London Conference, and two < ruisprs, "ran red by 400 of, the 1000 Austral >; us, tn be r '-.ainod on the Australian cmst «• jk>a«; or M ir. The Imperial authorities "o'ild not acf-it these proposals so long lis ':n existing , ,'cement' remained uncanioi: !;ui. (ht> Admiralty 1 expressed its .'ir.-sA to advi-- "'either the" scheme snbin ■ ."! ,'). v Mr. Di -iiin at the Conference,':or ,v,. • iprirrt«ti lr.O' i.lcd schome for local d<h 'j. if such, a heme did'not-involve a pledge iu ainlain particular vessels :.nt>w-mly *in Australian' waters;-.. The went has : ted for'further informa--larid this, ' . Deakin informed the' i'j'. when negotiations stand at -c, . Ho !';'i .hat the control of the rroiio I'd■ coastal fleet must, rest 'villi 11 io Com:/;' .. jaltli Parliament, ; which *-o!iUi place it iw lor. tlie Commander-in-Chief h -ci this ■ deemed a re-r.-;,»oivoo Mr. Fisher and his fol-lo-.vfir'. cf it. > Labour party with "Hear, t', v, nrr.i a! io the Admiralty in regard <" fc'n-./000 iist'ralians were' not accepted, • Gov'oi']\ii',"in;, said M['. Deakin, would find I ..Ajiw -e/her ;•-in. As. t'o naval defence, the ; ipo'<;ls of /lie Federal Government wore ; ' :; ai; three marines ,should-be purchased f ' year for 'jhree.years, and. in addition to ; p''so {wo tornedo-boat destroyers, so that at : ho end o- three years Australia should have ■ n iiio submarines and. six coastal torpedo dei '.-i-reyers. er a flotilla of 'fifteen small vessels | :i commission. Tho submarines, he exI pi.n'ni-fi, would cost about £50,000, and the i i':,pei).;ri J bringing them to Australia would j '« .t'so(' >, each. The total cost for. the year' i for Uc. lirst-class torpedo-boat destroyers and

f 'ii-r-o submarines"would amount to £24.9,000. Their upkeep, without the charge for tile, first year, would bo £5000, and the amount would rise until, in the third year,'st reached The total annual outlay, without., including, interest, would come to £221,000. • 'Explaining the scliemo for universal national' training, Mr. Deakin pointed out that under this proposal, every young .man iii tlie Commonwealth, at the .time;,.when lie could best' .afford' it,'/would, 1 spend about- eighteen days in the year, iiot in drill-rooms, nor. on. parade grounds,* tint in local damps, devoted .wholly aluli solely; .fco 'coittiniiouis iilißtruction.' iTlin's'dt 1 was . believed! would .poMess.'.wuthin .llireo of men sufficiently officered'and sufficiently drilled to bo capable-of performing any .service which Australia would require 'of ' her defenders. Whether they would' attain the standard of European nations he'did not know; but they kne;v.- enough of. thijir. countrymen to know that they would bo ; soldiers;, iliven this would be very costly, without Spartan simplicity of uniform. In the eighth year this would mean a force of 218j000 men, and the total cost of | this was estimated at ■ less than £250,000—at the outside—more than the amount', at present expended.' ' " The cadet' system' was to be .greatly enlarged,.. by the .'expenditure' of', at-' least an additional £20,000."for oach of "the three years, while the amount for rifle clubs was to bo increased by at least £10,000 for tlio same period. The term of obligatory training would be reduced in the case of those who had qualified in the cadets. At the age of 19 every young man-would be. required to' to register himselfj and undergo medical 'examination. Each one must .make himself efficient'each year, or put in an additional year's service.' The-Uniform would be of the simplest—a hat or cap, a badge, juniper, breeches, leggings, and boots. Thcso would be tlio property of the wearer, and ■would be made "in Australia. Many of the men who might not be fit for rthe trials of active sericc could be utilised for transport or ambulance work. The artillery, or other scientific .corps, would, require- to devote longer periods to service; and would probably' have to get some special allowance. Ultimately there'would'be-in t-h6 Comnioiiwealth' a population of 800,000 men who had passed 'through;'the'ranks. At there were. 80,000 rifles of all kinds, arid it was pro-', posnd to obtain • 23,000 new rifles' of the latest pattern' each' yeais. These would not be imported, hut made' locally, the Govern-, 'mont having ascertained to its satisfaction that they could bo made - chcaper in Australia than elsewhere. .

in order to provide against the emergencies of war, it would be necessary; to establish an ammunition factory—(hear; hear) — that would meau a cordite factory. If they could get an' order.;to supply -the- s'quadr.on in' Australian waters, and hov had/approached the"Admiralty, on the subject, it would materially help them, as the output was* of course, a most important matter. One [ol the most ' important .matters- in connection with:. the forces was the supply' of welltrained officers. ' One of'tile features of the new force.' ■ would '1)6 that the; officers' would' train their men. The-clerical tiuties at ('present'done by officers wero to bo : done by clerks in future. They wanted their soldiers for soldiers, but in order to obtain this sta/F of officers, they must liavo' men efficiently trained. -

As -thoy could hot;meet the ends of the Commonwealth by establishing, a military college in every'State,'the Government proposed Ho ■ establish a board of permanent expert instructors, ivhieh would consist of specialists, one' in strategy, tactics, and military history; another in artillery, field, and garrison; and another in engineering in all its branches, and topography; who, at an estimated cost- of £5000 a year, would proceed from Stato, to State at appropriate times, reviewing officers' in that State, lecturing them, ami examining them in tho subjects which they had been studying. They could obtain the services of three of tho best men, who would bo paid good salaries, but only for such periods'as would eiiablo the Commonwealth to replaco them. It was hoped by this means to have oflicers trained, so that thoy would bo able to impart to those below thorn tho knowledge which they themselves possessed. They would instruct in . peace,! lead in war, and so fill.the demands of tho Australian forces.

The Government proposed to continue the system of exchanging officers with the Mot-her-country, Canada, India, and South Africa, • which was likely to prove of great value. This \;ear eleven were being' sent abroad, and the number would probably-bo increased. The Government had, applied to the Government of India for permission to send three militia officers. ■ This was a citizen force, and the idea was to provido opportunities for as many as possible of their citizens who gave their time and ability in the servico of their country, and send the best of them each year to the schools* of training, such as were furnished by the great military manoeuvres of India and elsewhere. . ' " -v the tariff:; The Tariff is through tho House after all. Sir William Lyne has certainly succeeded in his desire to have it completed and sent on

to the Senate before -Christmas, but he has done it. by. adopting; an attitude that noiie of his friends expected—that of accepting reductions right and left,-and offering little or no resistance.' .So that, while ho'has certainly got it through, it is' a tariff very different trom that which, ho brought down, and triumphantly flourished lin tlie faces of the Australian- public a few months ago, when he announced that hero; at last, was a satisfactory measure of Protection.' The' Gtovernmont,' he then declared, did not proposo to' allow any material' alterations to bo made .in' it;: but this sturdy resolution lias been abandoned by th<j Treasurer '.vceks ago. The duties oil. : ;woollons, blankets, piece goods, .metals, .arid machinery, earthenware, glassware, timber,-have all bepneut down: the proposed tax on kerosene has been swept a\vay, and.; 'almost in the last days of the Rebate, the 40 per cent, oil pianos "was. redilcfcd to' 3,0 per cent, and the strippor harvester_ impost; of '£16 cut down to' £12, while strippers:: were' reduced from £B'to'£6 each.' '• No wonder Sir William did not; cheerfully respond to the cheering which'greeWd the last' item of the schedule, as the tariff came- out of. Committee. ■ "I don't want your -. cheers," he oxclaimed angrily. "I wish you would .-keep th(jm to yourself," ■ and members -only .'laughed, in. high 1 good. lmmour;' Division! VI. 8., it may be'explained, has ..been postponed until tli'o i'ate of tlio Bonus -Bill is decided.- The cost of' living will: bo' increased" by,<tlio.tariff, but -certainly not. to-the extent original!? proposed- by the. Treasurer; .and.-for; this measure of relief we aro profoundly grateful., : '.' ■' :

DOMJSSTIO ...SERVANTSFROM'-ENG- " . ■> -• "IaSD.. :■ The sixty-one domestic servant's who took passage by the Miltiades froiii' London arrived this week, and oir their "first'day in oydlioy nearly all of., them' .obtained•;situa■tions. J.his ■ will show' you ' wJiat domestic service moans .'in this country. " Evcii onthe ..way out, some of' the passengers tried' to engage servants ; from tho'collection, but this' could not be allowed,- as the New South Wales Government: had arranged for the passages of the girls, and therefore it was considered only fair that th6'/.first engagements should be made .in;,that State.:iSome of the young women,' however,'.'growing impatient of iuloness—this reads v.'etl for their mistresses in -Australia—found employment on board for the voyage as nurscis or'maids to saloon • passengers." They are all spoken of . highly ,as well-bohaved and industrious, and tho matron under ivhoso charge they came . here, Miss*. Hotherington, describes them as a; nice-sot of girls, who gaie her no trouble on i- hoard.-, Their-new.-,homes are all over the' suburbs, 'from Ashfield, on the one. side; to Mcsnian- on the other ; and the wages', at which they havo been snapped up are;.;high,.as may be iniagined in viowiof the competition for their, services. The. lowest vwas 10s., pajd to a very inexperienced young girl; \The; highest figure .was 18s.', giveii to a girl from tlie Channel. Islands, who underBtands;' -hre'nch- cooking; and .the average » was from 12s. to. 145., and no washing to bo done. This may causo Nov'Zealand: lhistreses to open tlieir .' eyes in -astonishment, but the case "is. really bad here. Domestic servants are siinply.not to'be had, for the majority of Australian -girls appear to' be willing to 1 accept much smaller wagbs in 'factories, and have their-hours of labour properly defined, and -their, evenings off., The immigrant girls'- , were, interviewed b .y-. .the- employers.' at . tliv office of' the'' Intelligence Department, ' which lias managed the .'transfer, of,: the newv servants to this part , of .. the world, ' and the ' officials had-a busy day, rushing to and fro, lroin one* room to .another, between -eni- ■ ployer-.and■ .-immigrant, arranging the terms of sci viec, rand sq oil. Another, detachment of servants will arrive here in a fortnight; iind ■ meanwhile 'tho mistresses • who have had to do' their' pwlp'cooking.'aiid washing" and cleaning, are ' beginning to look - upon ' life more'hopofylly,. ... .. ... . ' . Ctjilutiiai ' ■ Mhda'me ~Melba','"whb' is singing here' this ' week, .has given, a Sydney " Daily Telegraph" ) interviewee some interesting hints to musical ' students. As an illustration of what may be accomplished'.by T -hard work and ambition,' tho preat_ singer a fact almost incredible iif view of the triumphs she'. has achieved namely; that she never witnessed grand opera until she .went to Europe from Australia. Sho had seen opera: bouffe,- of course, but never, the, more, serious works. "Do you know," said, she, "that I have never... seen ', Ljucia _or Rigolctto ' -performed? "—and;.y<;.t, Lucia, with'.her famous mad scene, and Gjlda are.two^of-her greatest roles. \Vlien sho,sang the music of/Donizetti's heroine to'Madame Marchesi, the celebrated teacher concluded that she must' have known all about tho mise-'en-sceno of the ppera, and when'' Madame Melba replied' that she had never seen; it the teacher . could only utter an exclamation;, of incredulous astonishment. . ;

. " Yes, the. gld,operas are popular, as. ever in Europe; but. really tlio bel canto system of singing ,appears -,to .■ be ; goiug .out" of fashion," said Madame Melba, regretfully. "A girl nowadays will take a Wagner score :and learn a role, apparently without through the scales, and exercises and solfeggi .tha.t .were considered, essential at ono time. It is much more pleasant to hear-a phrase sung pianissimo, if it is sung with sentiment, than to . have the-, singer bawling," and barking it at you. . Anyone, can scream, and that is'how voices are ruined. 'I don't want to blow my own trumpet, ; but next , year I will-.-hare. been singing : for, twenty., years, and. yet.my voice, is as fresh'as ever. It ia all •in the;'training. ' •••• •• "' • ' How desirable' it is that - people should realisb the, importance of teaching properly from: tho .beginning/ ;Tc-day. I was asked to hear, a girl of twelve-years of-.age sing;: who has a most-wonderful voice, I was told. ! No,' I said, ' Ldon!t.want to hear her, for has no right: to sing'until, sho is sixteen ot'seventeen.'-" ! 'Madame ;Melba urges on the part of young 'the .wisdom '.of seeking experienced /advico-'before■'•thcy-.igo to .London".They •ought .to. ask. the: opinion of -some good judge, or there .ought to bo-A a littlo •committee of •jriiisioiahs wlwishould hear these,voicQsj ; and decide vn'liether it is; worth.Svhilo goingon. Then ' you must remember ' that voice' is-' not overything. The most beautiful voice: in' the world-is v 110 good,'if you haven't brains.!' ..." ■ '" And physique ?." was .suggested.' •v ■ f Yes;' and physiquo .too:: Why, wo have t« be as-strong as a horse for.:the work-wei are called upon to' do—constant travelling; singing ill dill'crbnt climates, .'studying nelv/; roles, and-;So on. ; It's'.a'.tremendous_ strain;'and then with it- all yon 'must; be nice to: everybody, 1 and never have ' nerves.'Ajly advice to students' is that: it- is: up ' ; iisc::goirig .Homo uuless'onii posisesses'-'extraordinary talent;!' '• But then'is'it 'not apitj-that a beautiful voice should be lost';to the world?" /a; Undoubtedly it"; is"; arid'that is why I say' that 1 where you hfifethe Voice, and brains, and physique, there ought to ho. some plan by which' thevsiifger could'.lie,heljied to got the-advantage!; of the best training." .. .

LADY -N'OIITIICOTE AXI) THE CHINESE. , The magnificent;;screen : atad ' tablecloth worked ju'Orieutal art by the ladies'of the Imperial Court VpfPckju-Htwo ' gorgeous articles which' attracted' much attention at the Women's in Melbourne—wero .primarily., intended'for Lady Northcbto, to whom they .were prrxscnted this week by the Lord Maj'or of Melbourne, on behalf ,of tho Chinese Imperial .. .'About eighteen months ago a high functionary from l'oWin visited Australia as commissioner to inquire into the treatment of,the Chinese in Australia, and lie was. so impressed by the courtesy and hospitality .of the' Governor; Gonorai and his'wife that at bis'suggestion; the, ladies of tho Imperial Court worked tho screen and tablecloth,', which, we.ro. sent to the Women's Exhibition with an intiination that it was tho desire of the donors that at tho close of that exhibition :tho. artieloa should he presented,to.Lady .Northcoto';.