OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 14574, 24 May 1911, Page 2

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

MR FISHER. Mr Fisher rejoices in preternatural vigor of faith. Before the Referendum ho firmly believed that the Government were going to win hands down, and he did.not-suffer any untoward developments to shake his “confidence. He has now discovsred that it was misplaced, but it is not on that account destroyed. It is' merely, so to speak, post-dated. That is to say, it is transferrd to'the second appeal, which is to be made to the electors (if nothing prevents) in 1913. The feat of faith is more striking in the present instance than it was in the former, for we have now positive evidence, which was not previously available, that the sense of the country is against the revolutionary changes which arc proposed, and that Labor itself is not only divided as to their desirableness, but that a largo section is strongly opposed to shifting the political centre of gravity of the Commonwealth to the Federal Caucus. Their opposition is not without reason, fc*r in 1913 the liberals might come back Id power, and if they possessed virtual I }' all power, such as the amendments would give them, what would be the outlook for Labor-Socialism ? From this point of view it is quite conceivable that before the next general election comes round, the Caucus may be opposing the constitutional alterations as hotly as it now advocates them. But considerations of this kind have no weight with the Prime Minister. Viewing

his heroic attitude in the matter of faith, ono begins to understand the position of the ancient schoolmen whose confession ran; “I believe, because it is absurd.” However, so long :is anyone can cultivate confidence of this kind ho is safe from disappointment, until tho actual crisis arrives. Even then, it will soon be over,

and tho believer will be able to form another paradise of fancy in which to disport himself. Mr Fisher’s faith has one practical result. It enables him to assure

Imperial statesmen, who are evidently somewhat staggered at hie retention of office, after being beaten in five States out of six, that it is only a slight misniuleretandincr, and that the States really intended to express confidence in tho Administration, and will proceed to do it at tho first opportunity. We can brine: ourselves to believe anything—if sufficient inducement offer. THE STATE PARLIAMENT.

The State Parliament will very shortly be again in session, and it remains to bo seen how far Afr Holman will be able to justify his boast that other Governments have talked about doing the things which he talks about doing, but that he is going to do thorn. Ii can hardly bo e.iid°tbnt appearances are promising. At its full strength the party can only reckon on a firm majority of one or two. They can only win “Independent” votes by trimming their sail to the Independents’ policy, which differs widely from the policy of the Caucus. But oven this narrow majority is exceedingly precarious. The very regrettable illness of the Chief Secretary, with that of Air Keegan, is likely to deprive them, at the opening of the"session, at any rate, of the services of two firstrate fighting men. Tho calamity presents also other contingencies which might conceivably change tho whole face of the political situation. Then, again, there is the Legislative Council to be reckoned with. That body is bound to recognise that a Government that possesses so small a preponderance of votes cannot claim any mandate to effect any revolutionary changes. Mr Holman, like his predecessors, will find that is is easier to promise than to perform. A PEACEMAKER.

Die death of .Mr T. E. Spencer removes :v man who can very ill be spared. His special genius was that of a peacemaker. He composed quarrels in the only manner in which they can be allayed—namely, by showing the groundlessness of morbid susceptibilities and baseless fears, and then by' devising ingenious modes of compromise, which should be acceptable, or at any rate not intolerable, to both sides. Although ho made his first appearance on the field of industrial arbitration as a representative of employers, his evident fairness and desiic to conciliate won him the confidence of the employees. He »■ pieAdent of more wages bi n,:ds, by far, than any other nun in the !State, and more often than not he was selected bv the unions. It will be difficult to fill -his place, and if it cannot be filled the couisc of industrial arbitration w bo more difficult than ever. A man of exceptional ability, and full of enthusiasm for ihe establishment of peace, can render workable for a time expedients which, in the hands of ordinary men, would piompily pioelaim their ineptitude. It is usual to say, when it is pointed out that it is impossible that the Arbitration Court can overtake more than an insignificant {motion of the industrial disputes which arc perpetually occurring, that these tribunals can readily be multiplied. But unless men of exceptional attainments can be found to preside over them, the minor con its will be an utter failure. The death of Mr Spencer reminds us that such men arc extremely rare. He goes to his rest with a reputation that the noblest may well envy. Bebuking by bis example those whose misg aded zed prompts them to do their utmost to fan the flames of class antagonism and racial hatred, he lived for the 1 restoration of jicacc, and very often ho had the satisfaction of knowing that his benevolent aspirations were in some degree realised. AEROPLANIXtI. Not to be boat.n by the ‘ Sim,’ each of the daily newspaper's has sent up a photographer in the aeioplane, and each has recorded his experiences. It cannot be said that they have compared notes, except, perhaps, privately, for the Sphinx herself could not bo more dumb about anything than are the dailies about the achievements of their competitors. There is one point, however, in which they all agree—that is, the strength of the cutting wind which invariably faces them, even when on the ground everything is calm. They also agree in omitting to mention that this culling wind is the necessary condition of their safely. The aeroplane supports itself in the air by the speed at which it travels, and the speed at which it travels through the air causes the appearance that the air is rushing against it with corresponding velocity—that is to say, the appearance that it is blowing a hard gale. To maintain the speed the propeller is revolving at about 1,500 revolutions a minute, or about twaity-five revolutions a second. As long as tiro 'plane can be kept horizontal and the speed bo kept up the aeronaut is safe. But if anything happens to the engine, so that the speed flags, and the “gale” is consequently no longer felt, then down comes the plane in the manner which has caused so many deaths. Even when all goes well with the engine, there are unforeseen eddies—“ holes in the air ” —to be negotiated, and these tax to ihe utmost the skill and nerve of the airman. Tf his attention should flag for a moment, the result may be fatal, so that it is no wonder that the roll of fatalities is formidable, or that wc are yet a very long wav from having achieved the real conquest of the air.

A GALLANT FIGHT. No more gallant fight was ever pat up on the old Parramatta than that for the eight-oar championship on Saturday. Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia had a fair ding-dong with the home crew for the coveted honor, and each put out the very last ounce of energy that was in them. But they failed to lower tho colors of the Light Blues. “Our boys” were a splendid team, splendidly trained and coached. From Uhr’s Point on they took the lead, were never headed, ami won by two and a-half lengths. Victoria, by a last desperate effort, heat Tasmania “on the post” for second place by a bare third of a length. South Australia, whoso crew received a great deal of sympathy for the gallant manner in which they had contested the race, was last, fourth, tho other two crews “nowhere.” Tasmania hn« some consolation in the fact that Cecil M'Villy won for her the championship in the Single Sculls, beating J. It. Towns (N.S.W.) and H. R. Stevons (Vic.). M'Villy ie a stone lighter than Towns, but moro than made up for the discrepancy by dash, skill, and resulting speed. AN IMPORTANT REPORT. Professor Wait’s first report on the agriculture of Now South Wales was looked {oj-Hhud to with, much interest. Un the.

principle “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” many people have been in doubt whether ft is really possible that the University can do anything to -promote the agricultural production of the State. It has, however, secured a good man in tho professor, and it wifi not be his fault if results should prove disappointing. The report, as was inevitable, considering how recently the author arrived in the State, tells us a groat deal that wo knew before; as, for instance, that “ the chief enemy of the pastoralist, besides the rabbit and tho .blowfly, is drought,” and “ tho coastal districts are admirably adapted for dairying, and there is room for an immense expansion of this industry here.” The professor adds his voice also to that of the great multitude who have set forth the benefits to be expected by the pastoralist if he will add agriculture to grazing; and by the agriculturist if he will add grazing to tho production of cereal crops. Australia possesses this all-important advantage over Canada as a homo for settlers, in tho fact that rotation crops, such as geld peas, rape, etc., can be grown to provide food for cross-bred sheep and early-maturing lambs. Yot Canada is getting all tho limelight, and Australia is in the shade. HOSPITAL SATURDAY. The Hospital Saturday collection seems to have suffered by the fewness of large individual donations. Perhaps tho absence of so many wealthy people at the Coronation festivities is partly responsible. Still, the amount gathered in is well in advance of that of last year. The £IO,OOO mark, however, on which the promoters had set their hearts, is not likely to be reached. Tho sum collected on Saturday was £430 in excess of that obtained last year. It is in the systematic collection, which goes on all the year round, that the shortage is making itself felt. It is noticeable Unit although the street collections are better organised year by year, with the view of obtaining every stray coin that every stray passenger can be induced to part with, still objectionable escapades on the part of even the most “advanced” of the fair collectors are much loss numerous than was the case at tho initiation of tho raid. There was at one time a positive danger that the money collected might cost more than it was worth in the loss of maidenly modesty, but, under the careful oversight of the matrons who supervise the proceedings, this obvious peril is being reduced to a minimum. May 9.