AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1206, 15 August 1911, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

INSUBORDINATE CADETS. The Fctferal Crown Solicitor's state» ment of tlie law in regard to insubordinate military cadets is hardly calculated to bring about a cessation of tho trouble, says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph." It appears'that senior cadets when on duty are subject to military law, "with tha proviso that thc.v shall bo brought before tho Court of summary jurisdiction, instead of a court-martial." Imprison-' ment not exceeding three months, or a fine not exceedfng £20, are the punishments for insubordination on parade. But what sort of discipline is au officer likely to bo able to enforce if he has to call in the, civil authority to uphold him whenever his lawful commands are disobeyed, or the youths, on parade prefer noisy horseplnv to useful drill? In other countries,, military discipline is a very real thing! and there is no reason ta supposo that it ran bo dispensed with in Australia, except at the oost of efficiency. Tho announcement ,„that offenders under the age of 17.years can bo dealt with by a Court only is Likely to still further hamper tho military authorities in carrying out their duties under tho Defence Act, while at the same time the Children's Court stands a good chance of being so much overburdened with paradeground offenders as to be deprived of its usefulness for administering justice m tho cases for which it was ongmally established. There is cvctj- likelihood that tho whole of the machinery for administering tho law in cases of military insubordination will be blocked unless.tho law as stated by the Federal Crown Soilcitor is amended;

UNIVERSITY APPOINTMENT. Mr.' Robert S. Wallaco has boon ap« pointed by the University Council to the recently-crcatcd Chair of English Lilcra» turo in Molboumo University. Mr. Wallaco is an M.A. of Aberdeen and B.A. of Oxford. Bom in Scotland, ho is 2D years of age, and was educated at Abor(lecn. He was a foundation scholar, and; was for five years dux of his does at that institution. At the university of tho same town, which he entered at the ago of eighteen, he won distindiions in classics as well as modem subjects. Ho took his degree with first-class honours in English language and literature, and also obtained an exhibition in the same subjects at Christ Church, Oxford. Ho attended pri. vate lectures given by Br, Sweet. Mr. Wallaco graduated at Oxford with firstclass, honours in English, and won tho Murray scholarship, offered'by tho Aberdeen University. In teaching experience, lie was assistant professor at Gordon's College for a year and a half, and had tho status of lecturer on the English language. At the Aberdeen training centre, for tho training of teachers, ho has lectured tb classes I hat sometimes numbered IGO. Besides experience as XJi examiner, Mr. Wallace has given courses at Oxford and at Dresden. From all quarters ia England havo come testimonials of lus r special ability for teaching and his excellent style of making his lecturos inter* esting, and inspiring his listeners. Tho salary has lieen fixed at X9OO per annum, not including residence. There went seventeen applications, for the chair; fif. (cen were lodged with tho Agent-General in London, and two with the registrar.

IRRIGATION: TO COST .€IOO,OOO. A 'commencement has . been mado by tho Water Commission with ono of tlm most important irrigation and general water supply schemes yet launched ia Victoria. ."We are going straight ahead," Mr. Elwood Mead said. "The project is to build a weir across the Murray Diver near lvow Swamp, and harness millions of gallons of fertilising water." Tho preliminaries aro'now ill hand. By direction of tho commission surveys am being made to determine tho character of tho country on which the- foundations of the weir will rest. So far, tho surveys' have shown that tho channel ia very deep at the point, where it is lo be.crossed. Mr. Mead states that tho structure will probably cost about ■£100,000, but this estimate may be varied in carrying out the contract. It will bo necessary to enter upon New South Wales territory, and the chairman nf tho commission understands that the delegates from New South, Wales who attend tho intcr-Stato conference, which it is proposed to hold in Melbourne towards the cud of October, will be consulted on the question. It is hoped (hat tho adjoining State, will not put any obstacle in tho way of the scheme. Only when tho river is in llood will it be harnessed. A great tract of country embracing tho larger, part of the northern irrigation areas will benefit by the scheme, 'l'lia costly system of pumping at Cohunn and lvoondrook will bo reduced to a minimum when tho weir is built and water will be carried by gravitation many miles through some of the most, productive land in Victoria. Mr. Mead stales that the distribution ,by means of gravitation will be possible for several months of the year while the river is high.