OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 139, 6 March 1908, Page 5

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

THE' NEWCASTLE TROUBLE.

. 'AMENDING THE ARBITRATION ACiV jr. - --' : (frcoi OCE SPECIAL CORBESFONDENT.) .', . • •) '' • Sydney, February 29. V ' has been so often made • during;;tho past: month or' two that the <\t.ac6 of affairs i£so 'critical, at Nowcastle that thoso; outside, tho dist'rict, who are, not able .' to follow''tho courso of events closely, must be getting tired of ; t-ho warnings. But the fact' remains.: that almost every day of tho of tlie- special Mining Court ap-' ,'jp.oihted.;,t6';deal with tho miners! grievances, ''jbas 'ibeon;a ''chequered one; -and now -wo have ; criticalv'situation of, all, : ';for the. men have'taken; very, strong; objec- ' tioh 'to :tho ;policy sought, to. be adopted by . th'o;iCom-t:.in,;pprmitfing a : witness to give ' evidence when such evidence re-flates-to tho financial alfairs* of his business. The rulo'-has beori adopted by, the Arbitration Court; and has; never', yet; been objected to,. • cither ...party -considers that, its iiitefests'wpilld Ibe prejudiced .if/its: financial or;.'bnsiness . affairs wero . disclosed ■in . public, '-•the 'eyiderico ;may- bo. given ,in -private. This .rulo" was ! sought ; to bo; applied by. Judge Hey:do'n, .a3 President,of tho Mining Court,.when 6n-.Th\u^^>'refusM ;^o'^nly> a!j- ---: swer certain ' questions delating- to, the .pom-. • pany/ ho. :was'connected with, but expressed Lis readiness to do so in pamera; The .ailvo,cato ■■for 'tho ..miners,-.Mr.; Lewis, strenuously protested against this 'course, /insisting that' .: the.;whole.\of-the proceedings should be con- - due ted in open 1 Court. ; To this -preposterous demand; there could bo only 'one. reply. The' ■'President) drew 'attention 'to thfe undoubted • fact that if; 'a'witness were compelled to ■answer; in' public-such questions as those, re-' jating to:his books -aiidctho' conditions of his trade^ 1 . ho might'bo ' seriously prejudiced as _ against his "rivals in ;tho same* line—in fact, uiformatiori; miglit ;bo:-. abstracted;-from him • v/hich would; mean tho ;ioss : :of his fortune. '■It has 'always: been a; very:, sore'point ..with 'the''mfin t Lowis,: "that, whilo the : question ; of /wages and /' conditions -as it re; • lates ,to them', is'.canvassed in open' Court, evidenco ; bearing; upon tho profits and the financial • pperaiions : . of the.- proprietors can :bo ;heard 'in :private ,instead, of'- in public." Of courso,-this .argument is,;so .transparently :- : :absuW;'that.vit.- : is':h'ardl7v-worth.' The disclosure of ; the wages and conditions •of .employment of theimen does .Hot give.anyMone a' chance to undercut^ them in trade, or interfere.,'with their'-business prospects , at . all,; and; even if this wero the case, the opportunity is always ppen-to-a \witriess" to de/cline- to Vgivo sueh; information' except.' in private., However, ' tho ■ ■ miners' advocate, : lifter, 'having informpd '#ho Court .;l : Jiat. the re'presentativo;;.; of - tho Miners',, Federation .'.would: ribtVbeVpresent .''"at-/ Jiny' sittings in. - camera^: pbtaiheU ' .'an V adjournmeiit ;of ' the . Court,' in; order-,'that,.the'- Federation should discuss the situation. Tho miners' committco of "management .-will consider the; matter', and . probably make'a 'recommendation to the dis\tripj?; 'the-final 'as to whether, tlio men will; preserve the-attitude:their N advocate.and , cxKutivo/have'.takcn' up._: ■ Meanwhile; ' tho ■ 'Court/has'; adjourned/until .'Wednesday. Tho |«sitipn\,is certainly, serious at ;prescnt, ■ and' : if on. Wpinos'day,'. tlio miners', reply; that; they 'must;havb;the',-oyidorice in; public, l tho Court, -." iii .i..vi'ew:_; bf• the, ruling' the. President 7 .has alTeady/give'n;|;mu'st;.dcelin6to allow :this; : and 'must; : : .dpCwithout the "evidence - altogether. '•■•K ! ;it? isji thought ; better;;to 'havp' ! an: award based w'ithbutcer-. ",taiii matorial 'evidence,- than jib'.' award. at ! all', . the .Court;may.; - go on ;.but : On tlie other.hand; it"is', Jos|iblp")t-hat both % sidps/.will realise'-,how unsatisfactory; this:"course' is/' arid -'withdraw 'from . the:'proceedings'.' /.''Then the ; ; situation will'.' become; perilous indeed, :' for the only . weapon;,if, arbitration 'thus -fails!will-:be ; a , allies -/'misery:, ; 'That this/riiay 'bo' averted will- bb' sincerely hoped '

COMING INDUSTRIAL LEGISLATION. • s Nejvtastle' last nigftt, s'tated.Mn tYie course 'of °t a' speech "that:' he :hoped :,'and. -trusted Ithat s goou -counsels,: would; prevail,''' : and • that all 1 ; ,p,erMns\a.ctiyely■•'con'cwned. ill- trio-industrial i i liiej'ofr.Neivcasiio.'would. • use then- efforts to ] " preserve,' in: the interests; of, themselves; .the . I -district,-. and-.-the country,""a ."continuity or. ] inuustrial work. llie referring to i ; tno proposed /legislation : cm. tuo subject: of I ariiiti'Ution, spoke, of the 'necessity,''lor promp- j .tituUe in settling 'grievances;;'-and' said they • knew, tliat; lßany of the 7 small differences ; , wnich': occurred between-capital and labour,' ir 'proniptly .dealt,;vi'ith, .would, bo, entirely .. xoniovetl,but -if these ' troubles • were. allowed , to"gather .' strength: they "grew to be scrams,' , and; in; time '• got beyond : control. ■ ■ Tho pre- ■; ,in .the Arbitration;: Court' -was tliiit! whai/ the - assistanca . of that , tribunal ■ was most wanted,:it was thcn.found, that,'its hands, were. :tio(l, through being engaged olae- ; wpere, .and.those'.who urgently' requirc-d help. . had;to ,liaye' their .case ppstponed indefinitely.. , Tnese .delays, -led ./to further-' trouble,-and . '.'.brought, about , a..condition of affairs', which was;to'-be deprc-cated.' l , The:.proposal,, of ! tho Government was not to "cast upon the.' mercy. . ox one Lourc xne'prouiem ofc..dealing with all' . tuo industrial,'trouples that arose, Lint. that a Court -.shouldbe.'composed of ■ persons -;wlio possessed;,intimate knowledge or the • mdus- . : try ; ,in.,which I ,tho; :.dispute )iad' arisen, and ' wiiich; was \ brought beroro the Court. ■ The •' member's/of: that ; tribunal, would, .by their training arid-experience of kindred industries," be' abje: t0 ;brihg' to,bear upon those disputes ;a knowledge, winch would-uaable'"them to nip .' in the - buu all 'possibility of'growing - trouble. A ;nios t.essential .proposal, was. .to nave the machinery of tho vJourt free from formality. Ho. thought -that in the, public interest .they . would all.".'agree, .that when.' they .wantedto m'afee the work of _ the/-*tribunal ■ eitectual, : prompt,': and expeditious', the- course, w-as; to-leave the.case'in the liancis 'of those whose training; was such as :titted them . to havefa -proper acquaintance with. the;class -of ' wbrkuri ..'aispute,. and/ not to -introduce the- . ' lawyer element' at .all. ..-(Applause;) ■/ if:they. ---"boiildC tlie '•m.achi.wsrjr'.' Cpurt, tbajt',would |go!a long way in-solving the'pro-: • blem-jof,':'how..- - the., continuity of industrial, activity in-this-State.'f AVhile 'they: wanted to legislate, by;tho will of the people, 1 'tiiroligh • amajority in Parliament, they . wallt«l.-also , tb -make /that. legislation eii'cc- ; tivpji. so'. t-hat it!-would secure.-t-ne goodwill of the.'peoplQ, both 'now-and in time to come. They wanted to arrivo 1 at' a... result which • would secure, for New South Wales something: Ihpt.wouid banish industrial unrest and bring >bout a condition of uninterrupted'industrial , progress. In. dealing .with' work of this kind lio Hoped the Government would rcceive the assistance, it was entitled'to, and that no- . tiling- would be'.done -' to. shackle, this new. measure; .on "its .first start' in .practical life. The men who earned a .competency by sweat-ing-should, not be allowed to carry on unless they _we'ro prepared, to pay'-'w'hat'f'.TCas'. con-. Bidered . a reasonable remunerationfor. the , work done. "When two. sections.inthe ~ in- ,.. dustrial ivorld ■ could; not arrange', their troubles between themselves, . then '• the State •••. would step in, and.'detcnnine-that they must submit. - their/grievances. to; a • competent -tribunal, so' that the public'would be, made ; ...aware' of the'facts of tho case,- and in. this - 1 ivay the force of, public opinion would be able ' to play an important part in future dispute's. Ho looked forward-. to public -sentiment, ■guided by the conclusions of a tribunal which thrashed theso matters 'out in open daylight, . playing an' important part-in the settlement of-disputes', in;.-tho ".'future. V. f . THE HEIGHT OF Gil AIN-B AG S. , There is. to be ho war, after all, over tho grain-bag question. AVo are to have the matter tested peacefully]: and by the methods prescribed by '/tho Constitution —in.-" other words, in tho dry and prosaic atmosphere of tho law Courts, and not upon tho battlefield.; . Mr. Wade announces that ho proposes to .carry: the matter to tho High Court—an eminently dccorous plan, which sounds quite tame, however,, after the aggressive talk ■ of the last few weeks. ' This lawsuit should become a cause oalebre, for in it will doubtless be'involved a number of constitutional questions of .'great importance, affecting the -relations of the Commonwealth and the States.. < It will be contended on behalf of tho New 'South!-.-"Wales Government that tho regula-tion-framed-by! tho Federal Government

stipulating that; grain-bags should bo of a maximum weight of 2001b. is ultra vires, as it deals with a matter which is within the jurisdiction of tho States, an'd therefore represents 'an invasion of their rights by the •Commonwealth authorities.:' 'By the way, a firm of flourmillers has tested the bag ordered by the Commonwealth to bo used for 2001b. of grain, and finds that it will not carry 2001b., and a liko experiment conducted by a committee of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce has given a similar result. But in-spite of all the fuss raised about it,: tho L 2oolb. has probably conio to stay; for even if. tile Commonwealth has exceeded Us powers,, it . will probably bo only a-matter of time when such a .regulation 'will be ,adopted by all tho. States. ■. , . . ;

THE .TRAFFIC OF SYDNEY. One of,'tho mosi difficult and pressing of. : the :-problems, which present themselves'fcr. solution in':the city and suburbs of•Sydney is that: of -dealing with the ever-:Uicreasing 'traffic; and it' is interesting to jcarn that the State Premier, Mr; Wade, has decided to appoint a Royal Commission to consider this : subject fully. In the morning, people pour into the city in thousands and thousands as through .the neck of a bottle by way of 'the Central ..-Railway Station, and by way. of Circular Quay from the ferry . steamers, and in the evening this huge army . of working people travels: out. again by the . same ; roads routes. The congestion before work begins iu the morning and after it has finished in tho evening is therefore oxtrenio. As'-fche traffic, is. still growing, and likely to keep on' growing -into appalling dimensions with the natural development of such "a> city as Sydney, it is urgently ■ nccessary , that;; something should bo/ done to provide other -means of .'ingress and egres3 between '.the city and suburbs, either, by constructing .'new linos''of railway or by resorting to'the tube 5 system adopted in London. There- is ,■ plenty , ofwork ahead of tho Commission,which'Mvill comprise eight or nine member's. ' and i'will - represent .the - Government, tho municipal authorities,' commerce, architecture, and air other interests concerned.. One , of its incidental functions will bo/to consider ' in what way tlie city and suburbs may be ■, beautified..'." / MR. REMINGTON'S SAD FATE. Broken in health, as' tho result of the worry arid anxiety involved in arranging the ' big amalgamation scheme between li.r - Mice and tho Citizens' Life Company, Mr. . C. Remington; - general manager of. the .uuiunl Lifo Association of Australasia, shot him- . self at his home at Warrawee, on the North Sydney line, .yesterday morning. The news .created a; painful shock in the city, where ( Mr.' Remington was one' of tho,best known .figures of tho, commercial world. 'The amalgamation: scheme is complo'to, aii'd promises tp bo liig'nly successful, so that there was no'necessity for'anxiety; but the' strain of 'the long negotiations,; extending, over two ■yep'rs/ proved too niuch'for'his .health. Latterly he suffered from insomnia—in fact, for twelve months,: sjnee his return from a trip to 'New Zealand, and oven trifles appeared to worry him.' Mr. Remington occupied .a prominent - place 'amongst/the 'leading commercial: men of the Commonwealth,, and his opinion,' especially in .insurance and other financial /matters-,/' had very great weight. - tie/was.' a-man'of,-keen' judgment, generous, . and*'.kindly "temperament, and strict integrity;, but. as he'was deeply sensitive also, he allowed small; things ,to. worry him in .a way that' his .friends deplored but . could , not pre.von't. i 'In this instance, ho worried-,because of, misrepresentation - and personal .attack, despite, tlie fact that, ;as ho himself said, ho had nothing to gain personally'by the amal : gairiatlqri,scheme. . Born'in . 'Ireland, ; Mr. Roiniijgtoh was 59 years of age.'- VHe was'.a . /prominent'Freemason,'-and: a coloncl in tho Garrison'.Artillory. of -New, South Wales. NEW THEATRICAL ATTRACTIONS.' ■ ..Some' interesting''theatrical .'news' is brought'by Mi .'J. C. .Williamson, who arrived, at I'reniantld this week, .'on his return from his trip to Europe, and America! Ho announces 1 that Miss Carrie Moore, who has beon: making; a hit in ; London as Peggy in ■'(The /Dairymaids," 'is coming out' to "play the title role iii.".Tho.-Morry .Widow," which is v to :bq protluccd -this year >.by, Mr. W'illiam>pii. • Tho'-merry widow is/Sonia, a:farmer's 'daughter, ' 'ivViosp. husband,, a-' financier, dies shortly after their marriage, leaving her twenty millions of francs. l , Miss.: Lily Elsio. lias played the part in England, whero the pieco lias Tiad,: an enormous vogue; tlio Syrens' ' waltz, of - which, tlie'! -Continental publishers liavo sold about 800,000 ■ copies; attaining- a; popularity equalling that upon the' Continent. At one period last year, ■it is stated, "The Merry Widow" was being performed' simultaneously at 1 300 theatres in Europe. : Miss Moore, formerly a-member of the Royal Comic Opera Company, is an Australian, . who _ left hero in, 1893, and as she ■ has'established'a position in ;Loridonj. this is to lie; her' list professional- visit to the colonies. ; Miss- Emilio Melville is also' coming— a' -picce : .of newswhich'- .will , revive' interesting in tha minds; of-old plajrgoers, who remember her'- as a 'charming prima' donna of comic, opera in the seventic's, and .again . in., the eighties,' when she >paid.,n roturn visit to-this part of the world from,.California':/-Miss Melvillo will, be .here with/''Mrs. Wiggs of tho"; Cabbage Patch," qnoy.of. .tho hew' plays, cf the-year,, and should get! a great., reception;, ; .:;Hcr,,, last 5 visit' to Australia, was in 1896, when slip was .a member "of "Mr'.;' 'Nat/iGoodwin.'s • company.. One importa'nt,dramatic-' event : ofVthis- year. will be -,the. appearance in Australia 1 of the wellknown. American . actress -'.-Miss. Margaret Anglin, who, it is definitely.: ■ settled, will - come-:first to Sydney, .the,season beginning on, Juno 27,;-with "The Thief/,' --Mr. -.Cosmo . Gordon-Lennox's-version, of 51. Henri Bemstein's: .'-'I/e Voleur." 1 'The heroine of this' play is Mrs: Cholford,. a -kleptomaniac, and Miss.lrene Vanburgh; who came to this part of tho world with Mr. J. L. Toole's company; filled this role when the drama was : produced-at St. James's Theatre last year by Mr.: George Alexander. Miss Anglin will 1 bo supported by. tho old Australian favourito Mr*.. G.'','S. : Tithcradgej-as .well as, by Mr. Thomas Mr. Williamson has renewed the arrangements ; for five years, whereby he secures the Australasian .rights of all.the plays produced by Mr. George Edwardes at .the London Gaiety or ,at Daly's Theatre,;', and' he has also': renewed tho" con-, , tract-.with- Mr. Frohrnann for ' the ; Australasian'rights of ;all his plays. Tho: thing that struck- him- .very forcibly ,was: tho idearth of good new plays, .also the. absence of new authors: Ho )vas convinced that - the English and American • audiences were- much more" easily pleased.; than those in Austra- ; lia. He found it bettor, on the whole, to ongago artists known -to ■ peoplo here. ; • ; . , THE ULIMAROA. 1 :. This handsome -new. steamer, . built by ; Huddart, Parker and Co;' for ■ their New Zealand trade, is to leave Sydney to-day for Wellington. , She lias been lying at the : Norddeutschpr wharf at Circular Quay dnr- ' ing the'week, where her fine,' [ lines have' been attracting lnuch attention. ' A lunchebn/was given, by Huddart, ParkiSr * and Co. ,on aboard the. steamer on Thursday [ to a'-number of business, men, when the : toast of the company and : the .steamer was. proposed -by Colonel Burns, of tho well- , known shipping firm of, Burns, Philp'and ; Co., who said that the I-luddart-Parkcr ComJ pany had to-day something 'liko 20 steani ycssels, and a look round tlSe palatial vessel they, wore on would, give an estimate of theJ worth .of the company and tho business activity of the men at its' head. The inter- 1 J State steani service of' Australasia, lie considered, compared favourably with that of any. other part of the world, but, unfortunately, of the. seven great, inter-State companies, there .was',not. one whoso- headquarters were in Sydney. Four were in Mcl- „ bourne, one in .Brisbane, one ill/Now Zea- ' land, anil one, in Adelaide.

Mr. Appleton, one. of the directors of Huddart, Parker and Co., said, in replying to the toast, that the company was started, in 1875, and,all the sjiares were to-day held by members of the founders'', families. They would all' admit that ships owned by Australian .capital had done a great deal for the country. • Shipowners looked, for the support .'and sympathy of the public in the building up of the great Australian, shipping trade,.' though they, had not yet started to build ships in this country. He had little hesitation in asking for sympathy when he had read that within tlie Drevious twenty-

four hours such a prominent man as Sir •Josiah Symon had asked for assistance for tho commercial industries of tho Commonwealth. There had been talk of a combination of shipowners. There were agreements undoubtedly, but they wero honourable, and well kept. His firm had agreements with other companies regarding tho carriage of mails and coal, but thero was no written bond, and thero were no penalties attached to the agreements. No one could find fault with .those agreements, which principally related to tho schedules of fares-and freights. By those understandings tho companies had been enabled to make legitimate profits and find larger ships. Ho hoped there would bo no carping criticism with regard to those agreements. ( Captain Free, who brought the vessel from Dundee, said that from Durban they took 199. passengers, and they were all pleaded with the steamer. Ho considered tho Ulim'aroa would be the best sea boat going. As to the inter-State shipping companies, lie .was. in a position to state .that the steamers on tho Australian coast were far ahead of thosa on the British coast.