OUR MELBOURNE LETTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14580, 20 July 1909, Page 3

OUR MELBOURNE LETTER

(From Oun Ow:t Cor.r.i;sro:;nKKT.) MEI.BOrRNE, July 7. Stale Ministers mot the Parliament- on Wednesday lasl, ami presented a very busi-ness-like piogrsmine of measures, which they intend to ask the Houses to pai?s into Iri-.v. Of late jwirs the meeting of the. Federal Parliament in Melbourne has tended to dwarf the imparlance of the State Houses. It, may be .some evit'eiioe of a reversion to the old love that, socially, the opsniii" ceremony last tveek was one of the most, brilliant functions of the kind ever held. Sir Ucorge Jenkins, the Clerk of Parliaments, who has attended these gatherings since a lima w licit t!i o " memory of man runneth not 1o the contrary," says that the gathering of Wednesday was larger and the dressing more brilliant than at any opening ho remembere. In the Governor's Speech satisfaction was expressed ut the state of the finances and at the success which attended the floating in London recently of the £1,503,000 loan. A subject of "grave Imperial and Au.-lra-lian concern," it was said, had engage! the. attention of bis Excellency's Adviseis. T-ii.'s, it need hardly be said, referred to the Dreadnought olfer. Conlideuco expressed that Ihe people of Victoria would cheerfully bear their proportion of the cost. But what peoph w-ere really anxious to know about v.as the (iovcrmnent's intentions in regard lo hind taxation and settlement. Tho aims of Iha Oovernment aro expressed in the following paragraph: — My Advisers recognise the urgency of effecting a fundamental alteration in the incidence of land taxation, and a bill will submitted for your concurreute, by v.iiich means it. is believed the setlleluettl and cultivation of the arable hinds of tho Stale will be. sufficiently encouraged, and provision ahu made for the approaching »horiagc in revenue ean.:.y| by the expiration oi the financial sections oi the Commonwealth Constitution. Embodied in this bill will be. found provisions for tiie assessment and taxation oi unimproved land values. In addition, a bill is to be passed proviiliii;; for a more satisfactory motla o! torn-pul.-ory acquisition of land. It would s-eetn as if at length wc wore -going to have a trial of the effect of taxation cm laud Kcltlcinent. .Ministers, however, seem to liope for too uuicii when they look for a haslci:ed subdivision on Iho one hand and an increased revenue on the other. I.'ttlliTlN'G CONSUMPTION. An interesting evpeiiinent is lo be made in connection with tho ravages of con(iiunption In the Slate. This terrible disease kills more than all Iho other contagious and infectious diseasts put together. The deaths are till over 1200 a year in Victoria, and there are 5900 cases oi all kinds in our midst The mortality is here, as elsewhere, cmeKy among young adults. It is recognised more inxl inc.ro I hat Iho disease is cur.ilile if,taken in time, and the liovernnionl, ac-lii 1 .'.; on the proposals of Dr Norri-s late chairman of the Board of Health, propases to t(-end a'jiut. £20,C00 a year iu treatine patients. Wards are to be established iii most of the huge hospitals, beris are. to be added l» the sanatorium, more supervision is to be ex-ereised over patients in poor circumstances in their own homes, and a strieter scrutiny of meat- and milk that pass into consumption is to bo oxer c-ised. A FALLEN IDOL. Meantime Sir Thomas Pent, the commanding figui's of half it ilo/.Jit sessions past, bus fallen so low lhat there are none so poor i,5 to do him reverence. The com niitleo appointed to inquire into his various land trr.tisa.etions ha- been taking evidence, and Sir 'Ihoma; himself lias just concluded a term of 11 hours in the witness box. Incidentally. an interesting question of Parliamentary'privilege has arisen. 'One of the mailers alleged against, the ex-Prcnuer is that ho iiatl the St KiUla-Brighton electric tramway constructed along a route which has enhanced tlio valuo of cerlaiu land of his own. When the line was'before Parliament Sir Thomas Bent said ho had no land along its course. Subsequently tho route was altered, and this brought the line closev lo Sir Thomas Dent's land. The alteration in the route was agreed to on tho motion of Mr Totilclier, and Ihe question the Royal Commission had to dee'do was whether or not Sir Thomas Bent was a. party lo the alteration. So they summoned Mr Toutehcr to give evidence, and when ho was sworn he objected that iho commission was calling in question his action as a member, and he declined to give evidence without the consent, of the House.. lie brought the niftier before the House at its lirst silting, am! explained that lie took the- view that it would be inimical to the Irjo representation of a man's miblio position i[ by any summons lie could be questioned regarding bio acts in the House. The Speaker said he thought that Mr Toutoher was to be commended, but Ihe House could say whether or not Mr Toutehcr was. to have leave to give evidence. The Premier then moved that the leave be given. It was agreed to, and a similar consent was given in Iho case of Sir Thomas Bent himself, Mr Murray, the Premier, Mr Watt, the Treasurer, and others.

MINISTERIAL PRIVILEGE A separate but somewhat similar (pipslion was raised in the case of Jlr Mackcy. He was a liiemlx'r of l.lie Bent Ministry, and in his ease the qup.siioiis nsked had' reference to matters which came before the Cabinet for discussion. Mr Mackey claimed that, his oath as an Executive Councillor, by which he swore to keep the Kind's secrets, pm-lmied him from giving evidence on this point without at least I he consent of the King's representative. So it was u;iieed thnt Mr Maekev should have lime to consult the Governor on the point, lie did so, and hiler on lie, !lie Premier (Mr Murray), the t'lerl; of Parliament (Sir George Jenkins), and the Clerk of the Assembly (Mr 'J'. G. Watson) had a consultiitinn with the Governor. Yesterday Mr Murray received a long memorandum from Sir Thomas Gibson Carniichael on the subject. The memorandum opens with the statement: "I know of no authority vested in mo to absolve anyone from the eonsecpiences of a lawfully-administered oath. If I should, without authority, profess to give absolution 1 should run very grave risk of acting illegally." Probably it. would bo only on a very few points that permission would be required, but, " bowever few these points may be, and even if the disclosure of them involves no broach of oatli whatsoever, I could not consent without assuming very grave responsibility indeed to the giving by Cabinet Ministers, or former Cabinet Ministers, of evidence before a Royal Commission as to things which happened in a Cabinet of which they formed part. Such consent would bo an innovation. It would involve a departure from one of the most clearly established practices of the Constitufion, on the observance of which depend not; merely the smooth working of governmental machinery, but also the dignity of Parliament, and the very spirit of our public life. That responsibility I am not at pnvscut prepared (o undprlakc." It is the practice everywhere, his Excellency points out, to keep secret whatever passes in Cabinet, unless it is ncccssary for a Minister jo defend himself against OiMriioa nll'octiuK his personal honouv. But even I lien, as the memorandum concludes, "should such an issue come before me, it would lake a very groat deal of argument to mr.ko me think that an Executive Councillor ought to attempt to free himself from such a charge anywhere but in his place in Paifemc-nt, to which alone on such a matter be is responsible." CHECK ON MINISTERS. Another constitutional question is involved in a report laid on the table of the House by the Committee of Public Accounts. This is a non-party committee of the House, and it was asked to inquire into the action of Sir 'Vliema3 licnt in paying the public service salaries at Christmas last out of unauthorised moneys. At this time Sir Thomas Bent, had asked the Governor for a dissolution. He had in the ordinary course to assure the Governor that he had supply sullicient to curry liim over unlil Parliament, mot He this assurance. As a fact lie bail £250,0Q0 available for the payment of works completed or stores ordered before November 30. lie also had some money in the Treasurer's advance account, but this too is for certain specified purposes. The public scrvico salaries were duo before Christmas, and the Treasurer had not obtained supply to pay them. But he could not let the public servants yo unpaid at Christmas, so he gave instructions for their payments out of these funds. His orders to the banks were to "pay and keep on paving." Ho said in his evidence that he thought the public credit would sutler if ho failed to pav the State servants. The cominititce dees not, mince matters in .its report. Sir Thomas Bint's experience as a Treasurer, it says, ought to have convinced him that he could not draw on tlvj fundi he did; that the did not (ike the precaution of the Under Tnasurerabout the money available, and that his failure to do .-:o was a i;:.ive on>: t.het in giving the instructions to the Under Treasurer which he did he aoied unconstitutionally and illegally, violating provisions of the Audit Act and of the Constitution; end that, he ought to have known thai Parliament could not have b?en called together as speedily as he said. The eonwnitt-ic recommends that, the Audit A(t he amended eo as to provide that orders to the Lank to pay shall bo accompanied by a tolemn declaration l.l'.at it is signed in pursuance of the Governor's warrant, that if it is fjil-ie the maker of it shall be liable to tho pairis and penalties of perjury, and thai the Auditor-General shall ai once swear an information against, the Treasurer or hit deputy who oli'enik. It is also suggested that provision be made that «■ person so oH'e.nding shall thetreaftcr bo incapable of holding any office of ho::c;n" oe emolument under the Crown. AN ACTRESS'S .JEWELS. Australians have a special interest in an insolvency examination conducted at I Mianehteter, of which particulars have been received l;y mail, 'the insolvent was William Proctor, and he frankly admitted '" personal extravo.ganc-e" as a ''eason for ills insolvency. (!.e January 1, 1907, Proctor hud a surplus of assets over liabilities of £12,000, since which he acknowledged having received cash from his family amounting to £11,200, and Bihrjand allowances cf £382. His examination disclosed a" dcnoioncy of £1870. This reversal in his financial position was brought about by travelling cxnenscs, losses in betting, and gifts of jewellery. The debtor is a clerk in receipt of a salary of £530 a year, and on the death of his father be became entitled lo a further income of £ICOO per annum. The official receiver proceeded to analyse Proctor's expenditure oil jewellery, which included 24 articles invoiced at £3052, given to Miss Carrie Moors. Tic admitted that lie was engaged to Miss Moore, and that she had since married Mr Bigwood. The schedule con■6cqtiontly contained a contingent asset of £2000 for jewellery, which he Tiad given to the actress, and which, presumably, he expected would bo returned. Other items of expenditure included <16 rings, invoiced £7650, averaging £166 a ring. lie admilted (hat these were not all for M'e-s Moore, but there was a diamond ring, invoiced at £350, and this, lie said, ivils Miss Mcore'o engagement ring. There was another ring invoiced at £)20, but ho could not eay whether or not that was for Mist Moore. <£ But if you gave all these rings to Miss Moore tlicy would cover every joint of iho frngera of both hands," raid the official receiver. "She would not wear them all at once," said tho insolvent. A diamond and ,ruby necklet was bought to pawn, he and the 6amc fate betel a diamond and ruby scarf pin cost£350. In all ho pawned £7000 worth of jowollcM'y [or £1000, and sold tho tickets to the jeweller for £200, so that the jeweller got back his jewellery for £1200. The list of jewellery as read out included 12 brooches, costing £3242 : 23 pins, costing £1830; nine bracelets, costing £1031; three earrings, costing £260: and two unset diamonds, which cost £321. When M.iss Moore was last here her diamonds were a subject of envy among the la-dies. Then she suddenly married Jlr Bigwood, and Mr Bigwocd had to settle an action for breach of promise. Now Mr Proctor is insolvent, and his mother Iws undertaken to pay off the jeweller's bill at the rate of £1500 a year, atnl .lias already piii-.l two instalments. So much for the glitter of the stage. WEST AUSTRALIAN POLITICS. There has been a reconstruction of tho Moore Ministry in Western Australia, and Mr Price, the Minister of Works, has had to resign his portfolio on account of illhealth, but ho retains his position in the Cabinet as an .honorary Minister. Mr Wilson, the Treasurer ami Minister of Education, gives up those portfolios and gees back to the position of Minister of Works, which he formerly held. Tile Premier becomes Treasurer, and the Education portfolio goes to Mr. Sanson, who has alio been sworn-iii as Attorney-general. The Agent-generalship, from which Sir 11. C. Kaaon is retiring, has not yet been filled. Mr Nunson, the new Attorney-general, has had a, rather remarkable career. He was associate-editor of the West Australian, wbai by a majority of one vote he was elected for Lireenough. A few months later lie became Minister of Lands in the ThiOjsell Government- Subsequently lie bccame Leader of the Opposition, and on the deatii of Sir Ueorge Leake, whom he had opposed, he entered the Ministry formed by Sir Walter Jaines. Meantime lie had gone over from the West Australian to be editor and proprietor of the Perth Morning Herald, iour years ago his health compelled him to retire. lie wont to England, studied for the Bar, and wus admitted last y-:ar to the Bar. Six months ago he landed at I'crtli just in time to telegraph his nomination to tho returning otticar for his old scat. He was returned at the tqp of the poll without making any serious canvass of his electorate. Ho hss spent the best time of his life as a banker and a journalist, and now, within 12 months of being admitted to the Bar, he has become Attor"-noy-gcncrai. Mrs Sanson was one of the best known women journalists in Western Australia. AN OLD-TIME MEMORY. A sad memory of the olden limes was recalled on Saturday by a cerenjony at the Slate

| w-!iocl :il Day'rsfovil. A iv;u I ltutde to tin'" school <if ;; k'.vfio fr;i v.ed re.-.ti'.l of i[jriL-'ii!• conn "( ill willi ih? tvhool. Th"J Hal-!, iuipoiUnit win •I that. rt'laiin;; In t ho lo.n in I he bu-h in | I'OT <>! 'imv? little 1n'.;..-. William iim! Thotntii (Iraham ami Arilniv 1 iurn:;:ii. l:i t ho wintry ilarkn.'w on 11:: 1 iiiuur of Eiuti(lay. Jmi" 30. till' fa.i-licr of the hoys e:ilk',l at thy nii'ip,? of tin? iJayk-iovil Mercury to vjport their lo.v. Next <ky. in tin- stormy uctithor, -hundreds of people joi nc*:l in a .'earth. Th'.'n black 1 i-rtu-ker.; were tout for, ami meetings were ln'l-.l to hear suggestions for the rettrcli. Kinvardi wire offered by tlis (iovcrnment anil prirats citizens for the recovery of ihe hoys alivJ 'or dr::d, hut no trace of them could b found. It was not until September 14 that the mystery was cle;irod lip. The ttoi'y of t lie recovery of the bodies is worth reprinting from the chronicle of the tiniF?. On Ifc day in question Jl'lCay, n splitter, whose hilt lay about a mile and ;:-holf from AVheeler's sawmill, on -Musk Crock, ami about three miles fiom Specimen Hill, proceeded to I'eni Creek, a short distance from hi; house, for a buck?!; of water, his do:; j.ccoinpanying him. On returning to his'lmt M'Kay's attention war, called to his doff by observing that it had something in its mouth. This he found to be a boot, with part of a child's foot in it. M'Kav and a neighbour named Sfeivarfc immediately commenced a. rcuieh. W-iic-n M"K:,y went homo at nightfall the (leg brought up to the hut a skull, but the darkness and torrents of rain prevented a renewal of (lie - search till Saturday morning, when Mr Wheeler, M.L.A., Mcsns M'Kity, Riddcll, Stewart," and two brothcirs named David and Xinian Brian met at M'Kay's. Tho do- 1 was let lco-e. and the men followed it. David 1 Brian, in jumping a log form-

iiSff par! of a f.wc, r!i-rovered some ':on"s ?)i.l ck'iliht .vsnwil idiom, ;.i:d r:;'■Ivinvvi. " i I-:;i ■ l ../v ,i iv!" j I is nv< il ],<>:' .\ii:!;iii «:;s nsxi to him. hr.r oil i'r.-? oppohU» sii!'.' cf Hi'-' log. Kiartinit in join his lirufh? went v,;i !an:c U'fle ;t- ■ 5 forming a or ij twu iVn<:\\- ; . On roundin;; i; In- found it hollow, and a ir'aiKv diswrod io him ihr bodies of the children. The police were tent for. and had lie nin- rontovH. Two of fi:r> bodies wore lying with their face? toward ihu insi:!s of (l;i> irci\ ilit? younger bay

fnrlW in. fhe oldor lvinjr oiiiside him as if to rliol.;' 1- hill), with hi- riyiit bam! under ,md ombr:i"iii;=j th? other, v. ho hiy parily ou tii-i Iwdy, an if n,"filing llu-ro for v.ai tilth. Those in (ho live were supposed lo he William and Thomas Graham and Avthuv iiuniian.