AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1903, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(For the week ending Saturday last.) " THE VICTORIAN FOUR." The chief development of the week in tho Federal bituation has been the selection by the anti-Socialiet party of a ticket for the four vacant Victorian seats in the Senate. Tho candidates chosen are in everything but name the nominees of the Victorian Employers' Federation, which body now seems averse to openly associating itself with the candidates espousing its cause. Three of the four candidates are Freetraders and the fourth a Protectionist. They aie: Mr. F. T. Derham, Chairman of the Chamber of Manufautuiera ; Sir John M'lntyre, well known in connection with the mining industry ; Mr. Edmond E. Smith, of tho shipping firm of Howard Smith and Co. ; and Colonel Templeton, managing director of the National Mutual Insurance Company. The candidates' have issued a manifesto stating : That they are opposed to Labour domination ; that they favour conciliation and arbitration without compulsion ; that they favour preferential trade, but will oppose any alteration to tho tariff except such as may bo , necessary for this purpose ; that they will insist on economy.; that they are opposed to the transcontinental railway proposal nnd tho establishment of the Federal capital. The Argus, which was previously very strongly in favour of Freetrade, has now come out in support of the new candidates, whom it is pushing as " Tho Victorian Four." In its editorials, the paper is careful to emphasise the fact that the names of the four do not figure on any class or sectional tickets, and that it behoves electors to sink their fiscal differences and exert their full strength in an endeavour to kill the Labour party. IN OTHER STATES.' The Labour party believes its prospects at th© elections to be highly satisfactory; and it expects to increase its strength in the House of Representatives by from two to fivo members. Tho party looks most hopefully toward the iemale vote, as it believes that whilo .all the womenfolk on its side will vote solidly those on the other side will probably not take the same interest in going to the polling booth. Reports .received by 'the Freetrado League from many parts of New South Wales indicate' that, thece is a very general feeling against Victoria. It is held that in many instances the interests of New South Wales have been sacrificed by the Ministry to placate Victorian supporters. So far only one Protectionist candidate has come out for the Senato in New South "Wales. In South Australia the campaign has been regarded very apathetically by the public. So far as can be seen only* in two of the seven divisions for the House of Representatives will then be any contest. There is an inclination among all those standing to let tho tariff question rest.' Meetings are poorly attended, and it is doubtful whether the Stato can be roused to anything like onthusiasm. Mr. Reid, from advices received from Westarn Australia,'anticipates a sensible addition to tho Liberal ranks in that State. Sir John Forrest, at a recent meeting at Porth, said that he was tired "of Federal politics. Although he hoped to be returned at coming elections, they need not be surprised if at the ond of his terra he stood for the Stato Hout»e. The attitude of the Government to tho Labour party may be gleaned from the fact that the Victorian Protectionist Association' has announced- that no Ministerial candidate will be nominated for ' seats held by Labour members in Victoria. THE NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT. " • Tho session of the New South.' Wales Parliament ended 'on Thursday in a count out after an unexpected scene, for which Sir John Sco was responsible, Tho Government hud intended to close in a dignifjou way, but unfortunately in tome of the spcecnosi reference was made to the application of the "gag" which h»s been moro frequent than, in any previous session. Sir John See,* in replying ,to the charges mado against the Government, lost contiol of himself, and savagely attacked the Opposition, calling upon the Almighty to witness that he was an honest man. After his anger waft spent the Premier ' said it might ■■ be that ho would not come back to Parliament. His position was not altogether enviable. His whole publio and private life was discussed and brought under 'review 'in 'the nows>p«,pers, and charges of corruption were hurled at him. Tho session is desoribod by one of the papers as the least fruitful and most disorderly that New South Wales has ever known. Only two measures of importance were parsed — the Land Bill and the Referendum Bill. The Land Bill is considered on all hands to bo a most satisfactory measure. Its main principle is to. enablo, as far as possible, every settler to stand possessed of or to acquire "a living area. This applies alike to the existing occupier, whose holding is insufficient for the maintenance of a home on a scale.,of.reasonable comfort, and to the new applicant. The much-needed Local Government Bill, which was definitely promised in tho Governor's Speech, failed to make its appearance, and another measure, the Liquor Bill, promised to the Temperance Party, was brought out, and shortly afterwards dropped. Altogether ninety-two Bills were introduced,, and of these twenty wore passed, ten were dropped, and sixtytwo remained unfinished. RETRENCHMENT IN NEW SOUTH WALES. In the early part of the year at Cowra, Mr. Waddell, the New South Wales Treasurer, declared that tho "shadow of a dark calamity hung over the country," and that the Government might have to effect arbitrary and gonernl retrenchment. His colleagues afterwards doggedly refused to either endorso or repudiate his statements, and in his Budget Speech he retracted, and stated that the financial condition of the State was thoroughly sound. Now, howovor, has come the announcement from Sir John See that public works aro to be stopped and loan exponditure reduced to a minimum. It is 1 impossible, he says, for the Government to continue carrying on works in the manner the public have been accustomed to expect during the past few years. The Government, in the present condition of the money market, cannot get sufficient funds for all its requirements. Tho drought has now fortunately passed away, and tho time has come for people who have been depending on relief works for employment to now get outside the Government. The Premier said he appealed most earnestly to the people to assist the Government by affording employment to those in need of it, and thus relieving Ministers. As a result of a reduction in the loan vote, tho Sydney Water aud Sewerage Department has dispensed with the services of about thirty of its officers.. The Sydney Morning Herald says that the dismissal of so many survoyora, draftsmen, overseers, inspectors, chainmen, and so on further Illustrates what tho Government means by retrenchment. This is not action on a "comtnonsense principle." It is a scramble. It exemplifies the worst that has been s*id % about the consequences to which tho Ministerial extravagance is leading.. It is .openly charged against the , Government that while reproductive and necessary works such a* those which the Water and, Sew. erage Board has in hand are being visited in this way, undertakings of a nonproductive character ' are treated in a Uvish manner,. ' ,

MR. IRVINE. Mr- Irvino on Tuesday announced to m meeting of his followers that, in accordance with their widely-expiessed desire, he would forego his intention to retire from the Victorian Premieiship. He had, he said, laid the matter belore hia colleagues, and they promised to do all in their power to relieve him of tho performance of a considerable portion of administrative duties. Mr. Shiels had undertaken to carry out a large portion of the routine work of th© Treasury. That offer would remove, in some degree at all events, the principle obstacle to his continuing in office. This new arrangement will enable Mr. Irvine to retain, a portion at least of his extensive practice, and will reduce t& that extent the pecuniary sacrifice required of him. A sinrilai arrangement had to be made in Queens land some years ago in order that Si Samuel Griffith might retain the Premier ship. Mr. Irvine's decision has givei much satisfaction to th© Conservative party, and is warmly applauded by th© Argus. The Age, which previously supported the Administration, has now worked round to Opposition, and attacks the Premier as v bitterly as it did the late Peacock Government.