AUSTRALIAN NEWS. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 33, 8 February 1908, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

MR. BENT ON FEDERATION. Mr. Bent was present at a luncheon in connection with the anniversary regatta at Sydney, and was one of those who lepliccl to tho toast of "Tho Day We Celebrate." Fifty and more ycais ago, he said, he was • present at a regatta held on tho waters of Port Jackson. His mind went back to the pioneers of all the wonderful development which had taken place since then, to the great and brave men and women who laid the foundation of the great cities of to-day, and he chargedthe young people- never to forget what tlis brave- old pioneers had done. "As far as I am concerned," ho continued, "Victoria and New South Wales should work together, liiere is only that bit ef a Murray between us, and on tho other side there is only an old brokendown fenca between Victoria and South Australia, and yet this sad feeling of jealousy. There should be no jealousy. I believe we started federation too 'soon. _ I believe the Federal' Parliament is interfering in matters where it has no right of interference. Look at the twopenny-halfpenny tnings they are interfering with; look at the number of Parliaments, and the number of Governments wo have. In Victoria we have 218 municipal c6uncils We have to provide for bridges and roads, and canals, and Barren Jack works, and all that kind of thing ; and then in our Houss consider the great things we have to' do. If federation would only be as economical as we are it would be all right, but a? for somt of those who talk about us, why we could buy them in one street and sell them in another, and make a profit. (Cheers and laughter.)