AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 17454, 10 September 1920, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS

Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

RECOVERY FROM DROUGHT.

SYDNEY, September 10. (Received September 10, at BAO a-m.) As a result of further helpful rains the drought broke, and stock and static® reports throughout thaState, with few exceptions, are of a most heartening character. Feed and water are plentiful, and stock are rapidlv recovering condition, while restocking is progressing satisfactorily. _ Shearing reports indicate that the wool is somewhat tender and dirty owing to the long-continued dry spell that preceded the rains. Reports from agricultural areas art equally cheering. The wheat outlook is most promising, and an excellent yield is anticipated in many areas if favorable weather continues. Already inquiries for New Zealand wheat ‘ are being received from overseas, and the Government are being urged to make forward preparations to handle a large harvest in order to secure the advantage of the world’s‘high values. POLITICAL MATTERS. MELBOURNE, September 9. A meeting of the Federal Labor Party appointed Air T. J. Ryan Assistant Leader. SYDNEY, September 9. Tlie Elections Qualifications Committee declared tho Balmain election for the N.S.W. Legislative Assembly valid and the petition groundless. Mr George Briner, M.L.A. for Oxley, has died. He was a Progressive. His death increases the Government majority in tho Legislative Assembly to three. The public are keenly awaiting the Government proposals for filling the vacancies in the Assembly. NO SATURDAY WORK. SYDNEY, September 9. The iron trades’ employees have issued an appeal to the waterside workers for assistance in the fight for the abolition of Saturday work. The Ironworkers Assistants’ Union are asking the Minister of Labor to prosecute certain employees claiming to be members of the union who worked on Saturday last. DEFENCE PROPOSALS. /MELBOURNE, September 10, (Received September 10, at 11 a.m.) Mr Hughes, outlining the defence policy in the House of Representatives, said that the “White Australia” policy, which was of vital importance to the Ration, might be a source of complications. * The Government were placing £500,000 on the Estimates for military aviation, and £IOO,OOO for civil aviation. The naval and military expenditure will be considerably reduced, and preference will be given to a lighter type of vessel. An amendment of the Defence Act is contemplated in the direction of altering the basis of compulsory training. Tho expenditure for 1920-21 will be: Naval, £3.959,000; military, £3,250,000; aviation, £600,000; giving a total of £7.809.000, against a total of £4,545.000 in 1913-14.

(Received September 10, at noon.)

Mr Hughes stated that a scheme ot Imperial Defence is being formulated as a result of the deliberations between the representatives of Britain and the Overseas Dominions, and until an agreement is reached the proposals of the Ministry must be regarded as tentative. He hoped that at the coming Imperial Conference on Defence a scheme would he completed for co-operation among all the Dominions, and a real Imperial defence policy formulated for the first time. He strongly urged the responsibility on the Dominions of taking their share in Empire defence. As part of the Empire they must bear part of its protection. The centre of gravity had now shifted to the Pacific, the islands, of which ocean had been distributed among the Powers. Considerations cf safely required Australia to take cognisance of her geographical position under these new conditions.