OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 257, 23 July 1908, Page 8

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER

NEWS AND NOTES ON THE WEEK. THE'LABOUR PLATFORM. (FROM OUR SFECIA& COR RESPONDENT.) Sydney, July 18. The scheme suggested by the' Labour Conference at Brisbane, with the. object of securing an adjustment of the financial relations between tho Commonwealth and the' States, will, it is contended, .make reasonable allowance for tho expanding necessities of tho Federal Government, and will, at the same time, guarantee the States against financial disruption. This, at all "events, .is claimcd for it by Mr.' J. C. Watson. It is provided by. the scheme that the States shall receive a-fixed amount per capita-after 1901 instead of the three-fourths of'the Customs revenue, as under the present' guarantee. The amount per -head is to be determined after allowing tho, .Commonwealth a suffi-cient-addition' to its ordinary 'expenditure to cover old age pensions" arid additional expenditure to the extent .of ■ -£1,000,000, this extra £1,000,000 being'' necessary for such items as the Federal capital, Northern Torritory development, and the undertakings.' Mr. Watson agrees that oil existing figures the adoption of the scheme would mean that tho States' would receive about £2,320,000 less than last year, but against this, .he' says, .they, would 'bo 'relieved of the expenditure old ago and invalid . pensions. Some people have attacked the scheme on" tho ground that it does not sufficiently provide for the States, but in reply.to this lie declares that his only doubt'is whether it provides sufficiently for Federal necessities;.

It is .noteworthy that the conference has carried by ,a largo' majority a'' resolution in ' favour of compulsory military training. Tho previous conference three' years ago in Melbourne defeated- a similar'..proposal by a narrow majority; but on this occasion tho principle secured tho support of more than two-thirds of the delegates; an indication, as Mr. Watson points out, of- tho growing recognition of the need of adequate defence in : Australia. - It has also .been resolved to ask for an amendment.of the Constitution in order that the "now protectifln" proposals may be validated,'and to extend;tho jurisdiction of- tho Federal Arbitration Court to disputes where the organisations affected have branches in more , than one" State. - LORD AND LADY. NORTHCOTE. " ThS popularity of Lord "and Lady Northcote, who are about' to leave Australia', was manifested in ample degree at "the farewiell demonstrations in their 'honour ■in Melbourne during the last, few days. - . Tho Governor-General, whose . official . departure from that city took place on .Wednesday— though he will appear there again ilext month at tho reception of tho American fleet—was onteftained at a banquet on Tuesday evening at the Town Hall by about 300 of the loading citizens' of tho metropolis. Addresses of eulogy were delivered, by, the Chairman (the Acting Lord Mayor, Councillor Davey), Sir John Madden (the Lieutenant-Governor), Mr. Deakin ,(tho Prime Minister); and Sir Thomas'Bbnt (Premier of Victoria), all of whom paid l high tributes to the merit of the .public services of. both Lord, and Lady. Northcote. The Prime. Minister, ill tho course, of one of his-polished orations, said that Lord Northcote had never been found wanting, in the hour of danger or of trial,' 'to sissume all the responsibilities of his. high position. Years, would have to intervene „b'eforo the full history of the last four years could bo, written; but when it was written, there would be considerable 1 surprise, even aniong those who knew in part what had.transpired. It would be found then how friction had been avoided; how;popular feeling,,when it'rose to too.great a lieight, had been calmed; and how. Australia had been guided: with clear insight, and.'-,cautious; sagacity.. His Excellency,. in his reply, • spoke eloquently of the kindness he and Lady Nqi-thcote. had re-, ceived' from .all "tho'.people' of.'Aiistrjlia. , The women's farewell, to 'Lady Northcote took, place at tho Melbourne Town Hall on Monday; "a.fteriioori, and was; in * every way' unique: The: assemblage represented all grades- of society. ' There' were women bravo in silks;' velvets, furs, and laces,- and there wore more diffident folk, somewhat-shy, and weariiig less costly raiment; there were .young women with babies in their arms, frail, old grandmothors, . women .with little children toddling beside them, and bright stars in the social firmament. ■ For every, , visitor the Governor-General's wife had;a kindly glanco as the plocession -filed-pastj' for the very old,: the very young, and her'maiiy acquaintances there were brief ! words of farewell. The modest gifts 'handed to .her frequently included a posy of violets or wattle blossom, and sometimes thero were homely little cels. Many thousand women.wore received, tho scene constituting a remarkable tribute to the popularity of Lady .Northcote amongst the women of the community, in whose daily work and ambitions she has taken so active an interest. An address from the women of Victoria,, its illuminated sheets of hundreds of signatures bound in a handsome-cover, was presented -by the Acting Lady ; . Mayoress; Mrs. Deakin, wife of the Prime Minister, presented another address on .behalf of the authorities of the united creches,, and two pictures were presented by representatives of a girls' guild. Tho members-of the women's choir,. wearing; their' white gowns and distinguishing breast-kiiots of. wattle,- sarig the ode, "God Guide. Australia." . ■ One,of the most noteworthy tributes of all was paid to Lady Northcote on Sunday .afternoon, -when thousands of working women, whoso duties would-.not permit them to attend the farewell at the -Town Hall on tho following day, assembled .outside-the gates of Government. House, Melbourno/ and having been marshalled' in orderly array, marched up the drive to say "Good-bye" to the Governor-General's wife. She greeted her visitors in the fountain court, and showed that she appreciated'very much, their unique compliment in cheerfully giving up their one afternoon to show her Excelloncy that they ■recognised the interest she .has. taken in their ■'concerns. The hymns "God bo ■ with you till-we meet, again" and -"Now th,e,Day is Over" were sung, and after the' National Anthom was sjso. given, Lady Northcoto walked down amongst her visitors, saying farewell to as many as possible. ■ A NEW ZEALAND SINGER. ; Miss-Irene Ainsley,. the young New Zealand contralto ill whom Madame. has t-akeii so much interest, - and,, upon whose i advice sho went to 'Paris to take lessons from .'Madame-...Marchesi, is J ill Sydney, and proposes to leave shortly for Now Zealand, to begin there a concert tour which will extend to Australia. Miss Ainsley is an Aucklander, who was a pupil in that'city of Madame Lilian Tree and also-of Mr. Arthur Bonlt, when Madame -Melba, on her visit to New Zealand in 1903, heard her sing, and advised her to-study, iu Europe. In London she was for nine months'a pupil of Madame Minna Fischer, and-then ,went to Paris, where she studied under Marchesi for eighteen months. She thinks it only right- that the Auckland public, who were so kind to her in the days when she was .au aspiring student, should havo tho first'opportunity of hearing her after her London success. Uc-ice her tour will begin in that city. Miss Ainsley, who left Auckland four years ago, made ln-r debut in London after leaving the studio of Madame Marchesi. . At this cpncert, given in tho Bcchstein Hall, tho Prince and Princess of Wales were present, and Madame Melba played the singer's accompaniments. A few days afterward Miss Ainsley sang at Mi'.rlborough House, whero the Princess of Wales presonted her with a handsomo brooch of rubies: and pearls. Sho has been touring in various parts-of England with success, with such artists as Busoni and the well-known violinist Backhaus. A group - of musical people assembled at Paling's Rooms this week, at the invitation of Mr. John Lemmono, and there had tho opportunity of hearing Miss Ainsley sing. Her voice proved to be of remarkablo power and compass, and is artistically produced, wliilo her enunciation is admirable.

Nothing cleanses tho eye like a good'"salty shower bath. Tears do not weaken tho sight, but improvo it. Thoy act as a .tonic to the muscular vision, keeping the eye soft and limpid.—"Health."