OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12989, 2 June 1904, Page 2

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER

THE I'F.DEBAL SENATE.

(From Our Ows Courkspokbest.) ' MEIiBOtJRXK, May 25. As far as can lie judged at present thereis not likely to be any important development in the Federal political situation fur some- days to como. The- House has for the past few days been debating the Government proposals under cover of_a formal motion that ct-vtain papers be printed, and Mr Reid in the conr.-e. of his speech indicated clearly that it ho could arrange no coalition with the Dralcin parly ho would be compelled to challenge tho Government en his own responsibility. Ono section of the, Dentin party (led by Sir William Lyne) is extremely averse, to any coalition-with -Mr Keid, and to-day the. Dcakin eaueys is to como to a voto on tho direct motion that no coalition be agreed to. Tim extreme party has the sunnort of the Ago, whose animus ajain.it the New South Wales leader reaches a depth of bitterness not often sounded in political warfare. Still there is just the possibility that Mr Heid_ may iriumph over hip enemies. Mr Deakin has dcolinod to join a coaiition Government, but he has promised such a Government a strong independent .support. Sir Qcorge Turner takes n similar position, while, n number of tho party have agreed to support Mr Deakin and Sir George in whatever action they dike. . Added to this is the moderate section of tho Deakin party, who are- slrongly nvWo to anything approaching a Labour Government. If Mr Reid tables a direct no-coiifidoncc* motion he may get tho support of all theso in spito of any action that llw Deakin party caucus may decide on to-day. His own party is numerically tli« strongest in the House, so that if he can win over half of tho Deakin party ho has tit least a bare majority. Another thing in Mr Reid's favour is that since Mr Deakin and Sir George Turner are both declining office thcro would bo two Victorian portfolios to allot .in any Reid Ministry. The Victorians aro mainly Deakinitcs, with a- leaning to Labour, but the prospects of office may act as an inducement to some who would otherwise, bo found on the othor side to cast in their lot with Mr Reid on any direct challenge of the Government.

THK STATE ELECTIONS. The campaign for the Stato elections is he-ing conducted with great vigour. The nominations closed on Monday, and it is now apparent that the Bout Government must return with a working majority, 'iho. Labour party, which is trying to .Win seats indifferently from Ministerialists and Opposition alike, is likely to onmo back relatively stronger than before, from wiiicii it follows that the direct Opposition would scorn to b'o about lo suffer. Their leader, Mr Donald SfacHnnon, will have- a close- run in Prohran, and mny bo unseated, while the leader of-tho .Labour liarty (Mr Bromley) is also in grave 'danger of being ousted. Tho new Assembly will consist of 65 members, relumed by 65 single oloetcratss am! three 'members returned by tlio public ami railway service. Only 12 out of tho 65 electorates are uncontcsled. In 11 of these. Minislv-iiii! candidates have been returned unopposed, and tho other sent goes to (-he Labour party by the unopposed return of Mr Ui'tizley, ihe Speaker.

For iho first.timo in iti history tho Legislative Council is dissolved with tho Legislative Assembly. l The. new Council will consist of 34- members returned by 17 doubleseated constituencies and onu member returned by tho public mid railway servants.

The chief interest, howavor, is not in the contest? for the- two Houses', but in the referendum- oiv tho question of religion* education. Three- questions are submittrf to (he direct "Yes" or "No" of the people* as follows:— 1. Are you in (ivour of the Education Act remaining secular, as at present? j 2. Arc you in favour or such legislation iw shali caiHO tho scheme of Scripture lessons recommended by tho Royal Commission on Religions instruction to bo taught in State school.-! miring school hours to children whose parents desiro the teaching? (Such lessons would lie given subject to a conscience clause exempting teachers .who object.) 3. Arc you in kvour of the prayers and hymns selected by the Koyal Commission being used? All the Protectant Churches, collectively and individually, have enjoined their congregations to answer ' : Xo" d> tho first ojicstioii, end " Yc.V' to (he remaining two; while tho Roman Catholic authorities are enjoining ilipir flock to answer " Yes" , to the ill it and "No" to the others. An, unofficial poll eonduote-'t by ilio Scripture Education parly seems to show that a largo majority favour the projected change. On the day of votiuy, however, it may bo found that a. very largo section of the people who are against any interference with tho prcs;u; ii'ct will throw in their.lot with tho Konum Catholic l , who object to Iho particular change contemplated. It will tak , . , somedays, it is expected, to 'enumerate tho poll. r.ITNTSTTCR AKD PFJiMAXKNT HEAD.

A dispute which recently iire-=o in connection with the official recognition of the various employees' associations in tlio General i'o.it Ofliee , lias culminated in Lieutenant-colonel 1 , , if,. Ouiti'im tendering hi?, vciiiKiulioii as TJi'pu'.y ro?tmu£tcrjjcnoral of 'Victoria, after 41 y«ir» iif official sen-its. Colonel Oiilirim sonin years ago had occasion io protest against tlio unions invoicing political aid in administrative matters, and'in 1901 life [omul him-olf in conflict with Senator ttriike, the I.'ostmaslPi'-gciifi-.il in the Barfou Cabinet.' Matters settled down again until about a month ago, wli-on nmn ieltor-carriers, wishing to got a lift repaired. ndilro=?ccl a lctUr Io tlif and asked Colonel Oultrim to foru-nrd it. Colonel Outirim declined to do so, on vho ground that t!i'.» restoration of lift machinory wiis r. malltr within hi? ooiilrol. and that Iho aid of t iio Postmaster-general should not have been invoked until lie lind refused flu , - rcquo?!. 'I'll* dispute gradually ;jrnw into n.deniand by tlio unions or a.-ifociation , - in th« d<v parlmiMit for ofliclcal rocognitifin. ilt Tudor, -M.H.H., the whip .of tlio Labour party, first jfiivo prominonc-a to tlio point by asking a , question in the House of lleprcsontalivcs, Ml which lio wished the rostinuster-goiicral to compel iiii deputy to pjrant the demand of tlio unions. When Mr Million became I'cst-master-gcneral in the Watson' Ministry lio called for a roport .from Outlriin. That gentleman contended that in tin; interest, of proper administration it was iimvia , to accede to' tlio requrst:; (if tlio associations, which employed political iiifhienco in order to accomplish their ends. Colonel Otitlrim's report was strongly but respectfully worded. Mr Mahon, PostimsLcr-gimeriil, inswto-J upon Colonel Oiittrim recognising '-lio departmental associations. lie decided in hi* deputy's favour in regard to tlio lift cuso, but against him on (ho larger issm , . And ho continued:— "I do not desire io receive, from hini any further communication in which his fellow-olHcers are referred to in (icrimoiiious and contemptuous terms.' . Colonel Outtrim felt that lit- did not merit tlio hard words used by tlio Postmastergeneral, and he wrote a'loiter in reply, in which ho cited several instances of attempted political influence, and ami 'tlrot if. Mr Mflhon was dissatisfied with .his * administratibn ho was quito propar?d Io retire. Colonel Outirim will ho entitled to a. pension of £600 per annum. Mr Mnhon. ill leply, intimated Iliat. provided the Si.ito Ministry was agrccfiblcto ■ permit Colonel Outtrim to retire bsfnre ln> roaclied tlio use of 00 yejrj, tlio Labour CV.binot hiid no objection to nis doing so. Colonel Uurtrini accordingly tendered \U resignation. It is-, bnwevor, 'jrobablo Iliat- come settlement of . the question will lie iinivcd at.