AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 7, 9 January 1912, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

♦ NOTES AND COMMENTS. j FIGHT FOR AUSTRALIA. Vice-Admiral King , Hall visited the training ship Protector at Hobart on the 2nd instant, and addressed the men. He referred to the Royal Australian Navy, of which they formed a part, and a very important part. In the days to come the very existence of the Commonwealth would depend upon the potency and prowess of her naval forces. Here was a country double the size of Chiua, witn a population only about equal to that of Yorkshire, and increasing at the rate of a few thousands a year. Thinking persons must ask the question : Hovv is this immense continent to be reserved for the handful of British people whi> have appropriated it as their own. Of course, to pour the people in was the vital necessity, but that was not. the point he desired to bring before them. He dwelt upon the necessity of making the first line of defence, the navy to which they belonged, which was part of the Imperial fleet, so efficient, so Teady, that when the time of testing came, if it ever did, they would not ba found wanting, and would be ready to take their place in line with the fleets of the Old Country in defence of the shores of Australia. He felb sure such would be the case. Patriotism and legitimate pride in their profession would stimulats them to be zealous, keen to do their duty, and seb a high example to those who followed in after years. MILLION CLUB FOR SYDNEY. The idea promulgated by Mr. Percy Hunter on his return from Great Britain and America that a Million Club 6hould be established iri Sydney has been taken up (as recently reported briefly by cable). Tho result has been an adoption of the plan, and a meeting of business and professional men was Yield one day last week at tho Hotel Australia to formally launch the club. Mr. Hunter says that the cluh is designed to be absolutely non-political and non-official. He personally will have no part in it; but it is intended to gather all shades of political opinion, and to do some tangible work with the object of securing for the advancement of the city and the State that large measure of public spirit inherent in the citizens, but now lying "uncultivated and .unused. The nominal ideal of tho club is to increase the population of Sydney to a million. This does not mean that the city is to be encouraged to grow at the expense of the country. The growth of Sydney to a city of a million people will, it is confidently expjcted, mean a State population of 3,500,000, and the eneigies of th 6 club will be bent to this en,d. Nor does it mean that the club is to be an active immigration instrument. But every endeavour will be made to improve the city and the civic conditions, and incidentally the conditions throughout the State, and to help by local propaganda to popularise the big popufa&on movement, and to so impress upon the imagination of the peoples of the world Sydney's individuality as one 'of the most attractive cities of the world that population and business will flow to it. In short, the Million Club will do any genuine work that will- make* Sydney a better city and New South Wales a be.tter State. SYDNEY TRAMS. ' The Sydney tramway traffic for the past year shows remarkable growth. The mileage run, number of passengers carlied, and the gross revenue are all far in excess of that of any previous year. The late holiday traffic was again substantial. During the week ended 30th December 5,080,000 passengers were carTied, as compared with 4,494,000 for the corresponding weok of last year, or an increase of 586.000. On New Year's Day the passengers cartied on all the 'electric services totalled 870,000, as compared with 679,000 on 'New Year's Day last year, an increase of 191,000. The" revenue was £5770, or £1270 in excess of last year. The race traffic on 30th December accounted for. 30,000 passengers, as compared with 25,500 last year, or an increase of 4500. The New Year's Day race traffic 'totalled 39,000, as against 30,000 last year, an increase of SOOO. On the 30th, which was piuctically observed as New Year's Eve, 840,000 passengers were carried, comparing with 760,UOO last year, ,or an increase of 79,000. The receipts were £4990, or £421 in excess of last year. NEXT AUSTRALIAN ELEVEN. The position th^t lias arisen in consequence of the action of the Board of Control regarding the appointment of a representative to" tour England with the next Australian Eleven is (says the Sydney Telegraph) more serious than was supposed in many quarters. An authoritative statement was made today'(2nd inst.) that three players, who are generally regarded as the beet three in the Commonwealth — two brilliant batsmen and an "all-rounder" — have made up their minds not to go to England unless the rights of players in regard to the appointment of a manager are respected.' In view of the fact that players have not yet been officially picked for the tour, they will not make known their position to the board till what they describe as "the proper time" arrives. v It is generally agreed that, without the trio referred to, Australia would stand little chance di success against England's best, or* even against the South Africans. P. F. Warner, captain of the English team, is one of those who evidently does not regard, the threats on the part of the players as mere idle words. Referring to the position, he eaid it would be extremely regrettable if any of the leading players declined to join the team. The tnangula'r contests were arousing intense interest, and England and South Africa intended to put their best tfeams into the field. Australia was expected to do the same," and he sincerely hoped that all differences would be satisfactorily settled. It is understood that at least one or two of 'the State Cricket Associations intend to take early action regarding the evasion by the Board of Control of Rule 9 of its constitution, which provides that players shall have the right to appoint the manager of the team, subject to confirmation by the board. TRAINING BOYS FOR SEA. The Federal Defence Department ia preparing regulations to cover the training of naval cadets. Examinations are shortly to be held, and the training ship Tingira, late Sobraon, is being prepared for the reception of 100 boys. Her full complement, however, will be 300. Thirty of the successful candidates will go to the temporary naval college as soon as it is established. Lads not showing merit enough to enable them to go through higher training will be trained on board- the Tingira to become ships' boys. The age of admission to the training tship has not been settled. POSTAL CONCESSIONS. The Federal Postmaiter-General (Mr. Frazer) has had. a special return . prepared showing the concessions made to Pest and Telegraph officers since the Federal Labour Party took office on 13th April, 1910. 'Ine return consists of a number of clau^ef m which, among other improvements detailed, aroj The I

extension and increase of the minimum wage, the appointment 'of additional officers, b. tearing allowance, shorter hours of duty, the abolition of a number of broken shifts, and better accommodation. NAVAL MATTERS. By the end of the next financial year the Australian fleet unit will be policing the- federal waters, and the British squadron will have shifted its quarters to Xew Zealand. It 13 expected, however, by the Federal Government that the Australian waters will be periodically visited by the British chips of the China station, and_ that thebe will pjoin with the Australian unit in training. It was practically agreed, at the Imperial Conference, that the Canadian. China, and Australian units wHI assemble in the Pacific afc intervals for combined training. NORTHERN TERRITORY.Though a big braes plate, bearing the sign "Department of External Affairs, Northern Territory Branch," ha 6 been put up recently in Collins-street (said the Melbourne Argus a few days ago), this evidence of activity is not yet reflected in the Territory itself. Provision has been made on the Estimates for the erection of a Government freezing works, but the Minister for External Affairs (Mr. Thomas) 16 not prepared to say whether the "freezing works will be inland or at a port, nor what will be the means of transit for the live stock or frozen meat to and from the works. While declining to say definitely whether any railway surveys were to be undertaken beyond that from Pine Creek to the Katharine, which has already been announced, he indicated that the railway officer now in the Territory (Mr. Francis) has been instructed to prepare recommendations on the general subject of railway development. The Pine CreekKatharine extension, if carried out, would involve an- expenditure of £500,000 or £600,000, and the Minister said that he J thought that would constitute a fairly good beginning for a railway policy. In reply to questions, Mr. Thomas eaid i that consideration would be given in due course to a number of recommendations made by the chief warden, with the object of encouraging the mining industry in the Territory.