AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 610, 13 September 1909, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

WEEKLY SUMMARY. DRASTIC LAND BILL. Sydnoy, September Much -interest attaches to tho Closer Settlement Amendment Bill just introduced into' the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Tlio Dill, which contains a numbor of drastic innovations,' is tho, fourth proposed amendment that hr,s been brought forward during tho last live years. Under .it tho Government proposes to assumo a particular control over all private lands, within ten miles of population centres. That is to say, the Governor may by proclamation declai'o private estates of the unimproved value of £10,000 and over subject to tho provisions of tliq measure. This nicans that tho Stato. takes-power to resume at; any .time within'...five years at- the valuation determined at or about the date of. such. proclamation. Tho owner ha 3 tho option of rotaininy up to foOOO worth, exclusive of improvements,.: for bis own use; but, on tho other hand, lie cannot insist,upon the whole of his'estato being taken if tho'unimproved valuo exceeds £10,000. An owner, however, -may purchase immunity from'the resumption provisions if ho elects to sell or, lease his land on terms approved by "tho Minister. But such approval is dependent upon • tho land-being made available for. occupation in "living . areas." A "living area" is defined as -,'an area- tho unimproved value of which shall not exceed £3oC0:. .AYbero the iand'is leased the leaso must either contain a provision ensuring an option of purchaso to the lessoo or,else.tenant right to improvements made by him. Furthermore, it .is, provided that' tho individual purchasing or leasing shall bo 'practically landless, or, hi other: words,-docs-not possess mora land, togethor with what ho ma.v acquire under this legislation, than "a t living area." ,

WOIIK OF THE DEFENCE V ' CONFERENCE. .-

Upon tho receipt of-the cabled summary of tho work of tho Defcnco Conference, thero arose, (and 'still exists) much speculation as to tho Australian aspect; of the new naval agreement. Owing to tho'' absence of details, iur. Dcakin, tho Federal I'rimo Minister, prefers not .to .comment on tho proposals.' Ashed if thcro was to bo a loan for naval defence, ho said: "I cannot say,,vet. It is certainly ono. : of the probable contingencies. My' reticcnco. on the subject is not duo to any desire to'.'Keep anything back. Indeed, an announcement will bo mado-nt the earliest •possiblo raomont; Tho fact is that the statement mado by tho British Prime Minister gavo less detail " than I. anticipated . Until I have received tho details officially as to the dates of tho commencement of tho construction' of, tho vessels, for ,tho 'Australian - unit and the'dates of completion and other particulars, I shall,bo unablo .to form a positive idea -of tho best method of_meeting our commitments. ; On. theso heads I shall cable for. 1 further information." Mr. Fisher, Loader of; ,the. Opposition, interviewed, re.marked.''l.have. done' my best to discover what aro tho facts —whether what is proposed is a Commonwealth unit or. an Imperial unit on- tho Saino-lines as tho present, squadron, only - greatly improved. If thero is to be created a purely Australian unit or navy, I have no exception to take to it. But on the present information I don't think it is tobo an Australian unit.' If it .is an Australian 'navy my only objection would, bo to .meeting tho expenso - -by loan. Put in a sentence, our idea is that thero should bo a co-opera-tion of v tho self-governing. nations of. tho Empire, linked, up with tho Imperial Navy. But I do not , think you will over bo able-to -inspire'the national spirit, or develop a seagoing fighting race of people unless, the futuroi fleet, is our . own, and .a great part of it constructed here" at the earliest possible moment. When tho late Government was'in office. We made ' a start by ordering" tho smaller, vessels of a fleet,-.but our ultmiato intention was, as Australian shipbuilders be.camo ..experienced in. .the jfork .of naval construction, .to place larger vessels in hand.; 'WefpropoSed'. aii'."^AustfSliSn'' v fiavy"'/.which' should ..fie- Australian-ill- -fKct.-'asiwell-, as in liame. I believed then, and I' believe now., -that'this policy interprets tho aspirations or the" great , majority-of tho people of tho Com-, monwealth." ; •. ,-.-i:--;. , BOYCOTT OR BLUFF? -: -Tho, doings: of the Shop .'Assistants! Fcdoration have . attracted considerable attention of lato. It has now ordained that • thero should como into. operation.' throughout Now South -AVales a system : of boycott in connection : ; with - the union.: badge.'. : ;.Thq V branch union in ,Sydney, has icalled; upon ■all ists :to - patronise ohly. thbal shbps- v inf which they; can be. sorved.' : 'by.- shop assistants, wear- '• irig tho .union - .'Thousands' 'of X'/dotU igers" '.•havo V'been'.issued - in-,i tho Vlast - clay? or two';calling : upon'ith'oipHblic.generally l ..to..as- 1 ■sistitho-,union; in this ,boycott scheme.: . It. 'now-'remains fto bo seen.whethor .those threats of i'bpycott aro going. to be: put into execution. has boen'secured from a reliable 'soiirco that there are not 200; union badges in--circulation...' If ;.that is..the .case,, 'tho 'Shop Assistants' .Union has. been- deceiving the public to a great'extent as to 'the preparations they had made, for., the execution of their scheme. "On several occasions tho press have endeavoured to ox-: tract- ; doiinito t information 'from- .the union, as ■to thc 'number of badges issued, but without' success- The balance-sheet of. tho.union' chows, however;'that, during the six months ended Juno' 30 only' 89 badges had', been, distributed, although -tho membership of tho union exceeds 1100. Many of tho unions ' affiliated with" the Sydney Labour Council rhavo carried motions: : pledging their mem-. bors to make purchases only-at-those shops where €ho union badge is worn. - If there are fower 'than 200 badges distributed throughout Sydney and the suburbs, a3;wcll-'as-New-castlo and the country towns, unionists will , havo' great difficulty : in fulfilling their pledges. Nor'will tho unionists bb furnished with a "white" list to guide, them -as to tho .'establishments in which tho union badge is worn. It is-.stated-that there arc two good reasons •why it should not bo issued It would show'the "weakness of tho union's position .to montion. the very. few.-, shop? at which the badge can. bo seen; (2) it. would placo the union within thop3»loof~tholjiw. Without that "white" list the boycott will bo minimised in its-effect. .Tho fact that the,list, is "not ready'.', at this date -wiir,considerably, shako tho confidence of - unionists -, as. to tho, possibility of carrying" the union badgo. crusade to a successful -issue. , Tho .Master , Retailers ■Association, Employers'Federation,--tho Country, Storokceperts' Association, and other bodies of employers havo' carried resolutions protesting ■ against'. tho; badgo, and pledging their members'to. refuse permission for the badge to be displayed by their employes. It is known that "in several shops tho intimation has gone forth that any employee displaying tno union badge, will be instantly dismissed. Several largo retailers, when Questioned on 'the matter, expressed -the opinion that'tho union's action-was "merely a "ame of bluff." They pointed out that tho° union-' had only, about -1100: members, whilo thero aro over 20,000 shop assistants in Sydney and: suburbs, so that "the-man with a union badgo"-would, bo a rara avis.