AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 4, 5 July 1910, Page 10

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

(From Our Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, 25th June. The South Australian and New South Wales Parliaments are in session ; the other State Parliaments and the Federal Parliament are about to open. The Federal Parliament has been prevented from meeting earlier by the elections ; the States Ministries Mke to take things easy in recess as long as possible, and to cut down to the shortest possible term the strife and turmoil of Parliament. The Commonwealth Premier has stated •that this is to be a financial session — a session of ways and means. Tho Commonwealth Treasury is already in deficit ; and the Commonwealth revenue is quite clearly insufficient to meet the obligations already incurred and maturing. If the Government does not borrow, and if Customs revenue to the extent of 25s per head of population is returned to the States, the deficit is likely to increa.se considerably. The situation is now curious, and the worry of dealing with it has already made serious inroads on the Labour Ministry's stock of health. The honorary Minister from Western Australia, Mr. Ghas. Frazer, who is looked on as Labour's coming man, has even been in hospital suffering from nervous exhaustion. Stress has been laid upon the Ministry's valuable possession of character. The Ministry is now finding, and with some surprise, that high intellect as well is required for the administration of the Commonwealth ; and in trained intellect the Labour Cabinet is deficient. A Majority of its members are manual workers, with brains that have never been suppled and hardened by keen intellectual labour. They mean well ; they have honest aspirations,,* and on the platform and in Opposition they have done admirably. Now they are faced with the necessity of attacking constructive work, at a time when the very best intelligence in Australia is required to cope with the problems presented ; and, as a body, they find they are not up to the weight of their responsibilities. Keenly they comprehend that their least act will have far-reaching consequences ; yet they are compelled to act, though ill-equipped for action. The best brains probably are now on the Opposition side, and the Opposition lions are ready to lend and tear anything that is not cleaih the best course for the Common.weaHh. What the j Labour Ministry needs' now, and cannot get from pressing affairs, in cix months' graoe, Ite polioy has to be translated j jpto definite action ; ib ie not ready j

for action ; and events will not wait. It is fortunate in having an overwhelming majority to approve all their deeds j but- its Ifcask demands, also, the preservation of the' electoral majority, amd if it is weighed aaid found wanting in the intellectual scale, public serbthnen't will soon turn against it. The Government Party in New South Wales has put forward a programme thntr promises nearly. everything \h& hearts of electors cam dtesire, aaid that, in i'ls aspect of railway extension, will involve borrowing huge sums. In the present short scs-sioni of Parliament aai attempt will be made to, achieve ,some performances to justify fhe belief tlialt the remainder oif promise' will be carried into effect if die Government returns to otfipe after the October elections. The Labour Party 'has raised the cry .of "stolen clothes," and Padiamentary time is being wasted in fiitile charges and denials. The bye-elections have gone in favour of . Labour, which confidently anticipates a repetition in New South Wales of the. triumph at the Commonwealth elections. Nevertihelees, the present .odds are slightly in favour of the Government. In Queensland tlie Labour Opposition is impotent, and tlie Kidston Painty, afitsr a long struggle, ha® readied a peace which will eoidure during the ©xlfctdng PaTliamenit at least. The Victorian and Western Australian Ministries are for the .present in similar case. The history of the next few years in Australia will be a history of altibemipts by La-bour to capture power in the State Parliaments; amd Tasmania, following the plan in New Zealand, is showing how those attempts may be defeated by commencing a policy that is little less advanced than that of Labour. In- Sooth Australia, before the new Labour Ministry can really get on, with its Laliour programme, it muft reform out of existence the Opposition majority n\ the Legislative Council. It is worth noting tliat where, as in Queensland, Labour has maintained the most violent and revolutionary attitude, them ifc has succeeded' least. Where its leaders have been moderate enough to inspire general confidence, it has succeeded most. There is nothing to prevent the application, of the moral in New Zealand.

CHILBLAINS. There is no preparation manufactured that will soothe and heal chilblains as Chamberlain's Pain Balm will do. When this liniment is applied it soon allays the itch and prevents the chilblain breaking. It causes them to heal in a very short while. — Advt.