OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3294, 12 August 1911, Page 9

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

[FROM OU® SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

> POLITICAL. ! Chaos seems too mild a word to describe the present political position. The Government cannot face the House because it has no majority. Even the assistance of Mr Cann, whose resignation of the Speakership marks the desperate character of the situation, is not sufficient to turn the scale the right way. Under these circumstances the Acting-Premier has asked his Excellency to prorogue Parliament until after-the two by-elections, which, may restore him his majority of one vote, or, even two. It seemed a big gamble, with a very dubious result. Men more fully imbued with the traditions of constitutional government Avould have disdained to cling to office oil such an off-chance. But it did not need Mr Trefle’s naive admission at the Gommercal: Travellers’ dinner to show that the cares of office have fallen on inexperienced shoulders. Instead of boldly appealing at once to the country, as Sir Henry Parkes or Sir John Robertson would have done, as soon as their majority had vanished, Ministers axe fighting all they know to prolong and complicate the deadlock .Avhich arises from tiie equal division of parties. Mr j Holman could, with the more reason, have asked for a dissolution, because it is loudly asserted by his supporters that they would come back Avith a majority of ten or, twelve. Yet they deliberately prefer to drag out a dishonorable existence on the chance of obtaining a majority of one or two. The common faults of novices are timidity where boldness is called for, and headstrong rashness^—such as that which Avas displayed by Mr. Nielsen—where tact and caution Avere evidently required. One of these points the course of the Labor Ministry speaks for itself. Sir William Cullen, the Acting-Governor, at first refused to request for a prorogate ion. It Avas obviousy an attempt to get him to do what it Avas well known Parliament Avould refuse to do—■ namely, to adjourn till after the byelections. Mr. Holman then resigned, and Mr, Wade was sent for. Mr Wade very properly refused to undertake the task, unless 1 assured of a dissolution in case of defeat. His Excellency declined to- give the assurance, and Mr. Wade retired from the position. Mr. Holman Avas again sent tor, and consented to “Avithdraw” the resignation of himself and his colleagues, and his Excellency on his part, granted the prorogation Avhich he had before refused. Parliament, therefore will now be hung up for a fortnight, in order that the Ministry may discover Avliether it has any shadow of a technical claim to retain office. Taken in conjunction Avith the hanky-panky about the Speakership, the situation so far as the Assembly is concerned, seems better fitted to figure in opera bouffe, than in- the sober history of tire premier State of flic Commonwealth. T:hc party doesn’t know its OAvn mind from day to day. The resignation was not “for keeps.” The persistence in Mr. Nielsen’s doctrinaire leasehold fad Avas not “for keeps” either. The Caucus, as a body, has now formally disaA'Owed it, and Mr. Nielsen lays doAvn his portfolio accordingly. Mr. Dunn, who resigned because of Mr. Nielsen’s pragmatism, and is to carry the Labor flag in an endeavor to regain his seat. There seems to be a total absence of the seriousness of reasoned convict-ion about the Avhole proceedings from first to last. Anything that seems likely to catc-h votes* may be adopted at any moment, though it may involve the total reversal of wliat has gone before. Obviously, nothing but a general election and a decisive mandate from the neople can restore to us political sanity. THE WAR SCARE.

The Avar scare has promptly fizzled out, and we are noAA r aAvait-ing the next titilation. The opinion of Lloyds’ on the danger of war is unmistakably expressed in the “war risks” added to the insurance rates for ships and cargoes They are :—-HomeAvards, one-eighth per cent., i.e., lialf-a-crown per £IOO. Outwards the risk is estimated to be amply covered by one-sixteenth per cent., Avhich is just fifteenpenee per £IOO. Still so long as expenditure on warlike armaments continues on so large a scale it is impossible to feel altogether safe, more especially as the bellicose spirit is so sedulously fostered among the masses of the people by unscrupulous agitators. The time has passed Avhen individual potentates Avould venture on a campaign to gratify their own ambition. It is the animosity of tlie people that is most to be feared, and Avhen the malign passions are deliberately aroused and appealed to it is impossible to confine them to any particular course. Those avlio preach hatred against capital preach a spirit that directly menaces the peace of the world, as Avell as that of the community Avhich listens to the teaching. THE TRAVELLERS’ DINNER.

The annual dinner of the N.S.W. Commercial Travellers’ Association, was, as usual, productive of some interesting utterances. The Minister for Work's had a fling at the Acting-Gov-ernor, accusing him of frustrating the will of the people. Bv a big majority, lie said, the electors had decided that Mr Wade should not govern the country, and that the Labor Party should, but apparently another authority held another opinion. As a matter of fact w© know that votes were so equally divided that at any time anything might happen. Ail the present trouble arises from the fact that the electors did not give unequivocal mandate to either side:, and statesmen of the old school would have disdained to accept office with a shackled majority of one member, and thus to be dependent on coercion all the time. But a Minister who fears that the sweets of office are shying away from him can hardly be expected to view the matter in the same light as the disinterested looker-on. Mr Trefle spoke more to the purpose when ho implied that Ministers were worn out through endeavorinn- to make up by energy for lack of experience. It logically fohows that they should welcome a rest from a position so irksome. Mr Paxton, president of the Sydnev Chamber of Commerce, pointedly told the “commercials” how their interests were suffering through lack of workers. If the goods were not- made no l commissions could be earned by selling them. If even the workers, of to-day would only work as well as they were wont tio do, the present factory output would be increased by 10 or 15 per cent. That is all very well for commercial travellers. But. so long as the workers themselves (and they control’ the position) are given to understand that persistent agitation and truculent demands pay better than hard work it is easy to predict which they will prefer. If matters continue as they are- going at present, it is quite conceivable that hard work, among “organised” wage-earner® may come to be numbered among the lost arts. The Commissioner for Railways, who was also present, got some hard rubs. * He

was able, however, to keep his end up. Among other things, 'he explained that, although he might be compelled, by the duty of his position to say whether a line would, or Avould not t pay from the outset, still, in tihe latter case, it must not be inferred that he tvas opposed to the construction of the line. Given ‘ adequate funds, and sufficient labor, | there will be lots of railway lines. "STIRRING TIMES. There is certainly no lack of stirring events to iieep us from going to sleep. ; At home there is the political embruglio, the resignation of Mir. McGowen, the “low-down” tactics in connection with the Speakership, the quandary in which the Acting-Governor has been placed, the calling of Mr. Wade to his counsels, and all the contingencies which may follow; in Federal matters, we have t,he plain, straight, and categorical denial by Mr. Fisher of the statements attributed to him by Mr. Stead, consequent chagrin and humiliation among the “Red l Republicans” of the party, but a feeling of great relief among the more moderate and sensible; then there isi the apparent passing or the Avar cloud':, the. dissolution of the Canadian Parliament, and the announcement that the dominant issue of the elections is to be reciprocity; to say nothing of Arnst’s viteory over Pearce, an event which, in many minds overshadowed everything else; and a thousand minor happenings of vital interest to those too are affected by them. The world is woving quickly, and each individual development seems open to criticism, even when it is not calculated to arouse grave forebodings. . Nevertheless, avc can hardly doubt that the general outcome Avill be beneficial, even thought. individuals and nations may meet disaster. Probably neither the good achieved or the evil averted, will be that which- has been consciously and directly worked for. Some of the most popular movements, indeed, seem directly calculated to cause disaster. Still, AA r e cherish the hope that the race is building better than it knows, and that even its mistakes, if not absolutely fatal, are overruled, so far as pos- I sible for good l . There is more hope for a living dog than for a dead lion, and, obviously, the age is very “live.” MR, FISHER. Mr. Fisher’s denial is as complete and conclusive as could be desired. The reported “interview,” he declares, is a grotesque misrepresentation. Guch an idea as hauling down the Union Jack never entered] his mind. The sentiments attributed to him would not be disloyalty ;thev' Avould be insanity, brutal and monstrous. This makes it “up to” Mr. Stead to speak his little piece, if he is to avoid being branded with the distinctive marks in\ r olved in these uncomplimentary expressions, Avith the added disgrace of wilful and deliberate “faking” into the bargain. It is not easy to see how the proprietor editor of the “RevieAv of Reviews” is to maintain his journalistic reputation, Avhich hitherto has stood A r ery high, in the face of the statements made by the Prime Minister of Australia. The position of the papers Avhich defended the sentiments which are now so contemptuously spurned 'by the man Avho was said to have uttered them is not an enviable one. But no doubt they Avill find some way of Avriggling out of the difficulty. THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP. Arnst’s victory over Pearce, the cleA Ter Sydney sculler, although it keeps the championship on the other side of the Tasman Sea, is not unpopular. It is so clear that the best man Avon, and that he had to do his very best to win, that any dissatisfaction Avould be unsportsmanlike in the lowest degree. The race Avas rowed in record time, notAvithstanding that the winner had to cease rowing tAvice, once to avoid a foul, which would have given the race to his antagonist, and once on account of a temporary AA'eakness in his Avrist. The latter is a symptom calculated to cause some uneasiness, in view of the champion’s recent illness, and the consequent danger of overtraining. But that Arnst is, and is most rightfully, the sculling champion of the world, there is no room for .reasonable doubt.