FORMS OF IDOLATRY.

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

FORMS OF IDOLATRY.

; Cardinal Moran made reference at a church ceremony at Mosman recently to what he designated "the idolatry of sport and wealth." He said that there was a great . tendency in Australia to allow sport of all kinds to overshadow the great purposes of life and to bring tit to a low level. There was also an idolatry of wealth— a desire to amass wealth rapidly and without much exertion. In both Lhese directions there was false earnestness and vigour. He trusted that the Roman Catholic colleges would do something to combat these evils. WIRING THE "CRICKET SCORES. As showing the keen interest- taken throughout Australia and England in the te?t match played in Adelaide, the following detail of telegraphic work should be interesting. An unusually large staff "of interstate pressmen and cable reporters was accommodated in the press box on tho Adelaide Oval and during the six days of the third test match they sent 1493 messages, containing 63,140 words, and costing (press rate) £172, to all parts of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Altogether 276 cables were sent to England, and the 5865 words cost £449. A JAPANESE MINE EXPERT. Keijiro Nakamura, chief metallurgist of the Bssshi capper mine, Japan, which is owned by the Sumvtomo family, one of the three richest families in Japan, has been visiting Broken. Hill. Mr. Nakamura has been travelling on tho mining fields of the world for the last two years, taking in modern ideas for tho benefit of his mino. He regards Broken Hill, after seeing many others, as ono of the greatest 'in the world, and was particularly interested in zinc flotation and magnetic separation flotation processes. Speaking of Japanese mining, he stated that modern ideas pnd inventions were being freely adopted. Much machinery was imported, but small machines were now being made in Japan. The miners were getting two yen (about 2s) per day wages, which is big pay for that country. Tho miners work eight hours per day and tho surface hands 12 hours; but they lately developed socialistic tendencies, and were now agitating for higher wages, shorter hours, and othci up-to-date conditions. AN UNAPPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE. The first smoke night and social held liy the Corporation Workers' Union in tha Melbourne Trades Hall had an mt.expected termination. There was a large attendance. From ths first the audience seemed in a mood to listen to speeches. After several toasts were proposed the programme provided by the company was proceeded with. One »of the singers did not give satisfaction, and after tolerating a considerable amount of interruption he leapt over the chairman's table, knocking over tumblers and botttes in his jump, and hurled himself upon the niost noisy, of his interrupters. A scene of confusion followed. Everyone rose from their seats, and half a dozen arguments began in as many corners. ' Beer was spilled, chairs were upset, and high words, oaths, and blows resounded through the Trades Hail. The officials called for order, but the meeting had. been broken up, and as somebody played the piano the audience quickly tiled into the street. FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE. The Federal Public Service Commissioner (Mr. D. 0. M'Lauchlin) has issued for public information ths annual list of public officers employed throughout the Commonwealth. The publication, which is an interesting compendium of all the facts relating to civil servants) has' this year been, compiled in record time, Having been completed by the commissioner within ten days after the close of the, official yoar. An important statistical i summary is included in the publication, in which it is shown that at Ist January, 1908, the permanent service of the Commonwealth embraced 12,453 officers, with an annual salary expenditure of £1,761,143. During the year 1907 the public service was augmented by no fewer than 690 officers, and expenditure on salaries by £66,502, this amount being accounted for partially by the additions to the service, and also by the annual increments of pay accruing to officers already in the service. It it, observed that during the year under review no fewer that 599 out of 690 new appointments to the service were made to tho Postal Department, New South Wales absorbing 187 and Victoria 255 now officers. A number of the remaining new appointments are accounted for by additions to the Customs and Patents office staffs, and the establishment of tho Statistical and Meteoiological Bureau. Tlie increased salaries expenditure in the Postal Department amounted during the year to .847,509, but against this tho fact has to bo recorded that the revenue of the department for the calender year 1907, as compared with the preceding year, was increased by an amount of £229, 909.