AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 996, 10 December 1910, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY

POPULATION OF NEW SOUTH ■■- ' ' WALES.

At the end of last quarter, September SO, the estimated population of NewSouth Wales was 1,1)78,208, an ipcrease of 13,564 for. the three months. In the quarter 0217 male children and 5300 female children were born in the State, a total of 12,017, and 2338 males and 1761 females died, a total of 4099. Those figures account for 7918 of the increase. .In addition, (MBS more peoeple arrived by sea than departed by sea, but on the other hand, the departures by land were 839 in excess of the arrivals by land. Of the net gains by sea, the other States of the Commonwealth contributed 1201, New Zealand 1712, and tho United Kingdom 3108. There were 1006 losses by land to South Australia, duo to migration from Broken Hill, no doubt, but as against that there were gains of 120 from Victoria and 47 from Queensland.

"DESERVED TO BE DAMNED." Archbishop Kelly (Roman Catholic), at ,the annual gathering in connection with the Westmead Home, on November 27, referred to the want of religion in Australia, and declared that Australia deserved to t>6 damned. In regard to the oath taken in the law courts, ho asked if any man was safe in a lawsuit. Then there were the revelations of the Divorce Court. Then, what about industrial peace and harmony amongst the people? Where were they? Where was the people's happiness? Tho people of Australia would bo the happiest in the world if they were religious. Let thei Government make its conditions as to what the children should, be tnught, but don't let it s.-y there shall be no religion.' Ijfeh'iped Australia wouldj. open her eyes, if'.Australia, said theremust be no religious teaching in th« schools, then ..he would speak stronger than ever. He would/say Australia deserved to be damned, for without religion a man could not be good. If there were no religion in the schools then' the boys could not have it when they grew into manhood. THE FEENCH MAIL' SERVICE. It is possible that the service.of French mail steamers noiv running to Australian ports and New Caledonia may be altered. Delivering bis Budget Speech before the General Council at Noumea on No-' vember 19, Governor Kicliar'd . said that special representations had Been made to the authorities in France to nave the services extended so. as to include Pm-t Vila (New Hebrides), Fiji, ond Tahiti. A condition that will be insisted on is that Singapore be. a port of call, which may mean that the lino will be diverted from ita present route via Fremantle, and will 'come into the Pacifio through' Torres Straits. '• .. . • ; THE SCHOOLBOY'S MOEAL CODE. "One of our most brilliant critics," said Lord- Chelinsford at the Sydney Grammar School Old Boys' dinner on November 26, "has lately been dilating against our English pablic schools. He said they taught physical courage and cleanliness, but not moral courage. Ho said that the ordinary English public school boy. (and I believe he would include' the boys at such a school as yours) was tied down by convention and the schoolboy code of morality. Now, 1 should not like to break a lance with so formidable an opponent as Mr. G. K. Chesterton, but he is lot here to-night! It is easy to ridicule or criticise convention. But yo,u have only to go into a 'tract.of.,country where there are no conventions or public opinion to see how perfectly hideous life can be. Conventions in life are, just lite platitudes in words, the sum of practical experience.' Mankind cannot break away from convention but at its peril. It is better that a bqy should liave some code of honour than none. The schoolboy is only the man in the making. You can't expect his code to be up to the level of the man's. Mr. Weigall will aSmit that it is best to recognise this code as something of use to the school, and that will in timo develop into the larger code we get outside." Mr. Justice O'Connor thought there were very few better codes of morals or convention that the schoolboy's code. The ideals that had been set before them at the Grammar School were those of honest work, no quackery or humbug, and direct, manly dealings.

A SERIOUS OUTLOOK. ' Speaking at Ashfield (N.S.W.), Mr. T. Waddell, M.L.A., said he must confess that he looked forward to the future of Australia with' nothing to hope for it. It looked to him as if the people of Australia, instead of being prosperous as they should he with great resources, they were going to be one of the most heavily taxed people of tlio whole world. Already they were beiug more heavily taxed thau that great country Germany, which had to maintain its enormous standing ai'mies and its rapidly growing navy. Notwithstanding all these obligations it was able to progress, by good, careful, and wise administration, without taxing the people nearly as heavily as Australians. were taxed. If "the. Federal Government succeeded in getting their referendums to alter the : Constitution so as to appoint Courts of 'Arbitration to regulate the conditions and wages of private employees and those of the State, carried, then every shred of power would have gone from the State Governments to manage their own concerns. They had an enormous sum of money invested in the railways ana. tramways, the greater part of which was a national debt,, but if they were responsible to the Federal Government, and if that Government had the regulnting of the wages and conditions, their power would have gone for ever, and it was doubtful if the people in England would lend any more money to construct such works. The outlook was very serious indeed.