AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 772, 22 March 1910, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY

THE ELECTIONS. Sydney, March 16. The Federal election campaign, which all parties are agreed in regarding as the most important since federation, is now in full swing. The special reporter of the "Argus" in New South Wales is on pretty safe, ground when he says that as to the outcome of tho contest there is no further evidence at present than a conflict of testimony similar to that when the priest of the parish had lost his hat, and some said this and some said that. But all are agreed that it is going to be a good fighting election. In about a week it will be possible to gauge more accurately the feelings in the - electorates. One undoubted factor against the Labour party is the ooal strike, the effects of which have been severely' : 'felt. The question of the taking over of the State debts by the Commonwealth is being eagerly canvassed from different points of view. It is to be decided at the same time as-the election, but by means of a special referendum. One feature of the election is the great interest shown by the women, and the efforts that are being made by all parties to capture their votes.

THE FEDERAL CAPITAL SITE. It seems that the question of ,tho Federal capital site, which was thought to have been .settled by•' Parliament's' choice of Yass-Canberra, has been revived again to be dragged into the election campaign. The "Telegraph's" Melbourne correspondent declares that the principalreason why the fiscal issue has been raised in Victoria—particularly in Melbourne—is that a certain section of Victorians resents the acceptance of Yass-Canberra as the Federal Capital territory. What is hoped for , is not so much a big addition to the existing tariff-protection as a'vtoew" and ipredominantly Victorian Gbvernment which can be depended upon to undo what has been done,in regard to the Federal Capital. "At the back of this sham tariff agitation," ..says the correspondent, "is the unquenchable anxiety to destroy the settlement. The Labour candidates are being dragged in to assist the movement, because they are eager for the support which they indirectly get through the splitting of votes, and through the advice to 'stand by the Labour ' nominees' who give in their adhesion to' more tariff taxation.' ' All that is- expected in return is that when the capital question comes up again in Parliament, they will vote to,cancel the Yass-Canberra site, and either go: back to Dalgety—which would be equivalent to dropping the matter, or leave the site unsettled so that the seat of Government shall still remain Jμ Melbourne; There is to be found the true move, the direct but undeclared.and unrevealed objective of the small band of .Melbourne -protectionists who are : engineering the tariff agitation." ■Of course, the "Telegraph" calls on New' South to defeat the conspiracy." .-- ■ ;

; SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY. Melbourne ,has had' nearly twelve months experience .of the Saturday liali-hohday for shops,'and in view of the fact that shopkeepers dissatisfied with it may, after a year's trial, peti-' ; .tion' for' reversal to the mid-week halfhohdav, the results of the experiment 'are.iboing keenly discussed. A canvass' of a number of the shopkeepers ■ of Uaapel Street, Prahran, on behalf or The Age;'.' idea .of shopkeepers' opinions. Of thirteen furniture warehousemen not one objected to the present arrangement. The managers of three large emporiums employing hundreds , of hands were as emphatic in their approval of the present law ana their. condemnation of any attempt at alteration. Business had increased largely, they declared. The manager or 'the. branch of, a big grocery business' which has .its ramifications in almost every suburb,?, stated that the takings at the Prahran branch alone were now from £30 to £40 per week more than a year ago. "We take as much now on Friday and Saturday as before," he" said, "and we have Wednesday's trade in addition." Grocers were almost unanimous, nine expressing themselves in favour of continuance, and only one desired the Saturday shopping night. Boot salesmen, tailors, and drapers, milliners, printers and decorators, saddlers and ironmongers, comprising'an aggregate of forty separate businesses, all declared against any alteration, the dissentients numbering only five. . One of the largest butchers in,the trade' said the establishment;of the week-end holiday had.had the happiest effect on his business. The estate agents have mutually fallen in with the general arrangement, not more than four in twenty-five keeping open doors after 1 p.m. on Saturdays. ATTRACTING SETTLERS. The Victorian Cabinet has decided ■hat Mr. M'Keazie the Minister for Lands, who visited New Zealand last year, shall accompany Mr. . Elwood Mead in his mission 'abroad in search of new settlers. It is understood that Mr. M'Kenzie will leave Melbourne about a fortnight before Mi\ Mead, and that he will visit Italy, Holland,. England, Canada, and the United States, in that order. He will have (It. Mead's company in. the- United States, but when he returns to Australia Mr. Mead will remain behind for a few weeks. Mr. Mead is preparing a pamphlet for distribution in the irrigation districts of Europe -and America. These will' describe the conditions of life in Victoria, and the opportunities and advantages .awaiting settlers in the State. The Minister for. Lands 'has been conferring with various ' departmental offices, regarding,, the methods to bo employed in establishing the new department of immigration and advertising which has been decided upon by the Ministry. STONES ON THE RAILS. .

A series of dastardly attempts to derail ■ trains 'have been made on the Blue Mountains. The most recent occurred last Saturday week. As the train from Mount Victoria entered Katoomba Station the front wheels of the engine left the rails. The train was brought to a standstill, and a ganger started on, a tricycle for Mount Victoria for another engine. He had not gone many ■ yards before the tricycle was thrown off the rails. It" was then discovered that stones had been placed on the. metals for some distance. The police were sent '. for, and an' investigation made, with the result that nearly 100 stones were found on the down line, and crushed stones on the up line, over which the train hod passed. The police are confident that the placing of these stones on c the lines not the work of children. There .will be considerable anxiety among tho travelling public until the sinister mystery is solved.