OUR SYDNEY LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 14535, 10 December 1910, Page 11

OUR SYDNEY LETTER

IS IT FINALITY?

" Finality at Last" is the striking heading by which a morning paper adorns the announcement that the proclamation transferring to the Commonwealth tho Federal capital site at Yass-CanbeiTa will be gazetted immediately after the next Federal Executive meeting on Wednesday next. It is very gratifying, of course, to find that tho Government, in. this instance, 6ho\v somo sense of the obligation of keeping faith, and of observing tho agreement on the strength of which this State was induced to enter tho Commonwealth. Covenant-breakers are naturally regarded with little favor by the moral sense of the peoplo, except when the wool is drawn over their eyes by ulterior considerations. It is also gratifying to note that tho Government propose to redeem the obligation to deal honestly with the States in respect of tho transferred properties. How the capital proclamation implies finality it is not 60 easy to see. There are .a great many steps to be taken before the capital will be an accomplished fact. The issuo of the proclamation is one of those steps, and from a legnl point of view it is indispensable. But it is not the most important in itself, by any means. It will be just as possible to keep the actual erection of the buildings indefinitely " hung up " after the proclamation has been issued as it is now. in tho Caucus, which is the real Government, the members who are bitterly opposed to the fulfilment of tho contract with the senior State are nearly as numerous as those who favor that course. They lose nothing by permitting tho issue of the proclamation. On tho contrary, they got a very nice slice of territoiy to experiment with. There are, therefore, many reasons why they should favor tho issue of the proclamation. But the influences which will militate against vigorously pushing on with the work are as powerful as ever they were. This is the pessimistic view of the matter. On the other hand, it is urged that to take over tho site, and then to purposely neglect to do the work for which it was ceded, would be so open and flagrant an outrage that not even inflamed party spirit or class animosity could bo expected to entertain it. Still it rests with tho Caucus to demonstrate that it does really mean finality, and intends to eft'oct it. KEEPING FAITH. There is another matter which involves the keeping of faith, not only with New South Wales, but with each and every one of tlio States. This lias relation to tho proposed mutilation of tho Constitution. After many conferences, and much discussion, involving tho waiving of many hotly disputed points, the States agreed to unite on tho basis of the Constitution as it stands. It is, of course, amenable to amendment (and lias been amended) in minor points. But the root principle is the reservation of certain powers to the Suites, which powers it is niw proposed to take away. Tho powers, too, are so sweeping that if the alterations aro effected tho Constitution will be virtually torn up. But the anomalies wliich were tolerated because of the necessity of assuring tho States that their rights would not be trampled on in this manner will remain in full force. In -the Senate, foT instance, tho elector of one SUite will still have ten times as much voting power as an elector in another SUile. The proposals can hardly be said to augur any great desire to keep faith of any kind. A SOFT JOB. Tho Federal Parliament takes nine months' leave of absence on full pay. It is not to bo called together " for tho despatch of business" till September next year. Members who took part in tho proceeding will congratulate themselves on tho forethought which impelled them to increase their salaries by 50 per cent. From one point of view it may bo more profit-able to the Common wealth to pay members for doing nothing than for "legislating, 1 ' if that can bo called legislation which simply consists in registering tho decrees previously agreed to in secret conclave. On the other hand, even the, Labor Leagues will be inclined to consider that tho reconstruction of society on lines which they favor is being postponed in a very euni.'iKiry and a very unaccountable manner. Their party are in full power. Tho ball is at their foot. I'or over two years they may have everythini. l their own way. What they say "goes," no matter haw severely it may bo criticise.! or how bitterly it may be opposed. Yet if tho proposal to ppend nine, or perhaps ten. months of that time in inglorious inaction had been hinted at when their spokesmen were on tho stump adjuring their hearers to return them to power, in order to effect radical changes in the present state of things—a stato which was declared to be intolerable —it is possible that many of their supporters would have thought twko before casting their votes in their favor. But £6OO a year—especially when the vear only demands three months' work—makes things very tolerable—for those who receive it. However, if all the, work which the party think necessary at this juncture has been done, there is n.v more to be said. But obviously, Ca'sar and I'ompoy—Labor and Liberal—are very much alike in their Jove of a long TCCCfrS. THE TARIFF. Importers are complaining biterly about the complexity of the Tariff. In itcelf il is formidable enough. But oticccfsivo editions of tho 'Tariff Guide' have been issued, containing "decisions" on arguable points, redecieions, cancellations, and other alterations, to the number of many thousands. Tho nineteenth edition of the 'Guide' has now been published. It would not bo surprising if to many importers it proved the last straw, and induced them to turn their energies and capital into some other direction. Not that tho Customs authorities could bo expected to grivo if they took this course. They aro appointed to discourage importations, and if they can do this as effectively by making complexities and multiplying difficulties as by simply enforcing the payment of duly, do they not deservo well of their country for seizing the opportunity? The importer, obviously, is regarded by Parliament as a person who. for the public benefit, must bo deprived of many of the ordinary rights of citizenship. Why does he not accept the position without so much grumbling? RENTS. Poor people, who cannot afford to pay more than a few shillings a week for rent, arc in very bad case. Building of this class are very scarce, and have been made scarcer by the wholesale destruction of "slum" dwellings wliich has taken place in connection with recent resumptions, ft is very regrettable that although tho avthetic tastes of aldermen and others are indulged in at the public expense no one seems to have any thought for tho needs of tho struggling persons who aro deprived of their poor shelter by tho proceeding. A REMINDER. Tho Opposition aro by no mean 6 disposed to deelaro -unrelenting war against the Government and all their ways. Consequently, when Mr Wood objected to the appointment on the Committee of Public Accounts of Mr Black and Mi" D. Storey, he found only a fraction of his party prepared to follow him into the lobby. Ihero is a strong feeling that as the Government are in power according to tho rules of tho political game, nothing is to be gained by worrying them about littlo matters. Mr Black is probably better equipped than some of his colleagues for unravelling the intricacies of the Public Accounts, whilst Mr Storey would seem to bo emphatically tho right man in the right place. The force of these arguments is doubled when tho shortness of tho session and tho desirableness of getting into recess as soon as possible are taken into consideration. The real battle will take place, or ought to take place, in the recess, when the referendum to bo taken by the Federal Government will claim corisidciration. Whilel it is generally admitted that the powers of tho Federal Government might advantageously be extended in some directions, there is a very strong determination to Tesist tho wholesale usurpation that is proposed by the Caucus. The result of voting tho referenda would be virtually to hand over the whole Commonwealth to the tr-n----der mercies- of that body, or, rather, to the political labor league's, from which, it

obediently takes its mandate. Many thoughtful s men arc of opinion that these irresponsible and erratic combinations already exercise a great deal more power than is good for Australia, or even for their own best interests. It is highly desirablo that the question shall be calmly and dispassionately considered. _ This is another reasons why violent partisan warfaro in the Assembly is deprecated. Important measures which are deemed to be ill-advised must of course be strenuously opposed. But to endeavor to ra»se a fight about such things as the appointment ot a committee and tho like seems calculated to defeat its own object. PHENOMENAL PROGRESS.

Labor Ministries are exceptionally fortunate at tho present juncture. They hare taken office at a period of unexampled prospcritv. It is expected that the exports of" the Commonwealth during the current year will reach 75 millions sterling, which will bo far and away beyond anything previously recorded. A good season, well-sustained prices, and active; demand for staple articles of export 6iipply the explanation of this gratifying state of affairs. It must bo remembered, however, that so surely as tho economic wave rises, so surely will it, sooner or later, experience a fall. The part of prudent administrators is in good times to make provision for the inevitable "rainy day." This is a precaution that novitiate statesmen are very apt to lose sight' of. The wealth in sight is so vast that they imagine that it can be indefinitely drawn upon without any danger of exhaustion. But the worldmachino is not constructed on those lines. The swings of its pendulum are very nicely adjusted, and those who neglect or refuse to make provision accordingly are pretty certain to come to grief. One cause, by tho way, of tho phenomenal expansion which is now being noted is that the wool clip is being realised and exported at a much earlier period in the season than was the caso last year. December 2.