AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5483, 11 January 1905, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

SYDNEY, December 31. AVer,l Australia is feeling very sore over ■the Federal Government’s action in refusing to pass Die "Western Union Kailwav Survey Bill, amt the State Legislature has under discussion a motion which hints ai secession, and the Per,h Chamber of Commerce lias passed a resolution allinning that in view of the importance of the railway to this State, and of the fact that without it it is practically impossible for Western Australia to reap aAy advantage from the Federal Union, the action of the Senate in refusing to authorise the expenditure for a survey of the line, and a close inspection of the land on the proposed route is alike unjustifiable ami nnfedcral.

South Australia celebrated its anniversary on December 28th. As usual there was a great gathering at Glenleg, where sixty-eight years ago Governor Hindmarsh landed and read the now historical •freedom-speaking proclamation. ‘ Oriel,’' writing in (he ‘‘Argus,” thus expresses himself ou the subject: of the bona fide traveller:—"New Zealand has had a close call, and has only been saved from disaster by the firmness of the Wanganui licensing magistrate, who has decided, just as the tourist season is beginning, that Ihe bona-fide traveller still exists in the eye of the New Zealand law. Whatever (he law may have been, wo venture to think (hut ho not only esislod all the time, but bulked ’fairly largely in Ihe eye of the New Zealand licensed victualler. Obviously, if when one travels one is not a bona-fide traveller, there would be no possible object in travelling at. all, and if no one travelled what would become of Now Zealand? The extinct moa and the extinguished ferraees have been good advertisenrenla for our neighbours, but (ho extinguished bona-fide traveller would never prove a popular ‘draw.’ It is a remarkable fact that since (he publication in ‘The Argus' of AVednesdny, of the reassuring announcement, the New Zealand steamers have "been crammed with tourists—that Wanganui magistrate, like Caesar (or was it Balbus?) lias, as tlie Latin exorcise books used to say. deserved well of the republic.” j At the Trades and Labour Council in Melbourne last night a letter was read from the Minister of Labour of New Zealand, repudiating a report circulated by the Victorian Employers’ Federation with respect to some remarks made by Dr Victor Clarke, of America, ns to the working of'the Conciliation and Arbitration Act there. Tho letter alleged that '‘evidently they had quoted extracts to suit their own purposes, irrespective of the context. There was no getting away from the fact that the general effect of tire Act had been to benefit the whole community. No doubt the Victorian Employers’ X'ydcration seizes every opportunity (o belittle New Zealand legislation, in order to retard such legislation in their own State; but we arc so used to attacks of this kind that we simply smile and allow them to gc —the results of our legislation being the best answer.” The letter was received, and during Die debate on its adoption Mr Lemmon, M.L.A., suggested the urgent necessity for a correspondence committee of tbe Trades Hall which would reply to all questions affecting labour.

A young man named George Sweet fell barkwa I‘drt on to a circular saw at Barwon Downs. He was cut half through the body autl died shortly afterwards. Under section 333 of (ho Victorian Crimes Act of 1890 power is given to transfer persons under 18 years of age, convicted of criminal offences, from gaols to reformatories. Under this, section 36 male prisoners and one female prisoner were transferred during the period covered by the last annual report of the In-spector-General of Bcnai JJstabiislinienls. i*'rom inquiries recently made regarding (he subsequent; careers of prisoners so transferred it is evident that this provision of the law is yielding satisfactory results. Of -15 transferred during the previous three years 30 have since been merged into the general population, and 25 of those are known to he doing well in the States and elsewhere. The Inspec-tcr-Gencral urges ihat it would be advisable to extend the age from 18 to 21 years.

The unsatisfactory character of the accounts of the West Australian contingents which served in South Africa, as disclosed i» the tllciS of papers which wore laid on the table of'.'the Legislative Assembly recently resulted in a promise bejng given , by the Government that steps would be "taken to have an investigation made. It way suggested by an olncer of the Audit Department at that time that it would not be possible to unravel the entangle-' 'ment into which the finances appeared to have drifted without someone being sent tp London to interview (lie IVar Office authorities, hut the Government was averse to that course being adopted until all local efforts had been exhausted. When, therefore, an offer was made by Mr J. 11. Campbell to prepare a satisfactory balance-sheet, the proposal wan considered, and finally accepted. Mr Campbell was connected with the Military Department at the time that a scries of difficulties presented themselves, and he confidently expressed himself as belife able fo arrive at a solution of the trouble. Mr Campbell, who is secretary of the Central Board of Health, has been temporarily relieved of his duties in that department in order to make a commencement with the work.

The Victorian Minister for Agriculture (Mr Swinburne) regards favourably the report which was submitted to him by a committee appointed for the pmpose of dealing with the starling pest. lie has issued instructions for iho preparation of the necessary regulations to give effect to it. The proposal involve# an expenditure by the Government of .CaOO conditionally on the ■municipalities in.' terested raising an' equal amount. Mr bwiuburne proposes if bo has the necessary - power to proceed with the work as eariy as possible. If it is found necessary to obtain Cabinet sanction ho will do so at once.

The Queensland Premier recently Mated , m , Parliament that it had been estimated that at the end of the year 11)06 when—at any rate as a matter of supposition—all Polynesians would be out of the country the Pacific Islanders’ l‘und would show a deficiency of about 1(30,000. When spoken to on Monday on the subject (says the “Ballarat Star"), Mr Morgan explained that at present, the fund was in credit, but lie was afraid that that would not be the case for long, When recruiting was going on on behalf of sugar planters the sum of X 5 for every recruit bad been paid bv indentors. This money had continued to replenish the fund as it. was drawn on for working expenses. Now, however, that recruiting had practically ceased, there would he no income and the expenses of administration, in regard to inspection, etc., would still go on. It was said that now that the source of this fund was to be stopped, the ..State should cease to carry on the work of inspection.. The State, however, had brought these Islanders here under the moral pledge that they would look after them, and they could not do otherwise than keen to that obligation. The Slate Government held that there was a, moral claim on the Commonwealth in respect to making good losses to be sustained in connection with this fund; and he as Chief Secretary, had made representations to the Commonwealth Government on the subject, explaining the circumstances, add urging the State’s claim as a matter of cquitv. ■