OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 12

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

(From Otjk Own* Cokrespon-dent.) MELBOURNE, March 30. MINISTERIAL VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. A number of members of Parliament waited on. the Premier (Sir George Turner) a day or two ago to urge that some permanent and practical method should be adopted of dealing with the unemployed trouble. Apparently the working man is returning in force from Western Australia, and there is without doubt a considerable number of men out of work about Melbourne at present. The members suggested that a Department of Labour should be created, *as in New Zealand. In that colony, it was said, the difficulty had been met to a large extent by a proper system of administration. Sir George Turner replied that he was hot favourably disposed towards that proposition, as he could not see that much benefit would be derived from it, except that- the department would become a sort of registry office where private 'employers might obtain workmen when they required them. It would not create any more employment fox. the workless. However, as the members were desirous that the matter should be further looked into*, he would ask one of his colleagues to visit New Zealand during the next few weeks for the purpose of inquiring into the working of the Department of Labour, and the steps taken to meet the ever-recurring unemployed trouble. He asked Mr Trenwith, who was one of his interviewers, to accompany the Minister.

Mr Best is the Minister chosen for the trip, and he and Mr Trenwith are to set out shortly. Mr Best is Minister for Lands and also of Customs, but it is as Minister for Lands that he has been selected. He will have an opportunity of looking into the New Zealand system of resuming possession of landed estates, as well as the working of the village settlements. About two years ago, also, Mr Best drafted a bill dealing with the establishment of co\irts of conciliation and arbitration for the settlement of labour disputes. His measure was to some extent based on the legislation passed in New Zealand, and while in that colony he will make inquiries into the operation of that law. 4. FEDERATION DISTURBANCE. A curious position has arisen in the New South Wales Ministry in connection with federation. Mr " Jack " Want, the At-torney-general, was a rabid opponent of the scheme, but he happily took unto himself a wife, and went off on a long honeymoon trip to Egypt and London. If he hadn't he most certainly would have had to resign, because he was at hopeless i&sue with his colleagues on the question. The Antibill League, however, played a trick on the Government. They sent a cable Home to Mr Want : " League anxious know your attitude towards so-called Amended Federal Enabling Bill." To that question the At-torney-general replied : " Awaiting full particulars. It is apparently worse than before. I am in communication with the Premier now." This, at least, is the story told by Sir George Dibbs to his friends who are opposed to the bill, and who greeted this " straight " expression of opinion from Mr Reid's colleague with great cheering. Mr Reid, however, is inclined to declare that the alleged telegram is a fabrication. If it isn't, Mr Want will have a bad quarter of an hour when he and his chief meet. In the meantime lie has telegraphed to the Agent-general, who replies : " Want says that, in reply to a private wire asking him what he intended doing, he sent word to say that he could express no opinion on ths bill ; that he had not seen it, and knew nothing of the particular bill ; that he had heard it was no better than the last, and that he could only communicate through the Premier." Evidently, therefore, Mr Want has held some communication with the enemy. That Mr Reid ia annoyed is very pardonable^ He has therefore given Sir Want a " bit of his mind " in a cable message, in which he suggests that, he could not have made a statement about tho bill so disloyal to his colleagues; .and he adds: "The abuse of confidence and misrepresentation of which you have been made victim shows how dangerous it is to have even private communication with .the enemies of tho Government In an exciting crisis like, the present." Naturally the incident is creating much interest in Sydney.

THE OTAGO SCHOOL OF MINES.

The Argus has recently been directing attention to the wretched facilities existing in Victoria for any person desiring to study mining as a profession. In the course of an article on the subject ifc quoted a statement made by Mr C. A. Richards, metallurgical engineer at the Mount Morgan mine, before a .Royal commission on mining in Queensland. Mr Richards said : " From what I have seen of tho various mining schools which now exist in New Zealand and Victoria, I am of opinion that they will do very little good, and, on the other hand, may possibly do a great deal of damage if established in this colony on the same lines."

Next day Mr J. P. Smith, nrriting from the Federal Coffee Palace, Coilins street, had a letter published in the Argus as follows: — "Mr C. A. Richards' s condemnation of the status of the Sphools of Mines in Victoria and New Zealand, in his report to a Royal commission, published hi the Argus of to-day, is not so correct so far as the Otago School of Mines is concerned, and is not just to persons holding -diplomas from that institution. The school is affiliated txr the Otago University College, in the samo way as the Sydney institution, and was established in 1879, whereas the first lecturer on mining was not appointed at the Sydney University until 1894. The students at the Otago School of Mines take the following subjects in the University College: — Theoretical, practical, ana analytical chemistry ; theoretical and practical mathematics ; mechanics, physics, biology, and palaeontology from the university professors. In special subjects tho

School of Mines -provides a professor of mining and mineralogy, a lecturer for assaying and metallurgy, one for general and mining geology, one for applied mechanics, and one for surveying. These include all the subjects of importance or utility to the mining engineer or metallurgist mentioned by Mr Richards as comprising the curriculum of the Sydney School. Such names as Benham, Black, Parker, and Ulrich are sufficient guarantee of the quality of the teaching staff; -whilst as students, Mr Montgomery, late Government geologist of Tasmania ; I)r Don, the author of "The Genesis of Auriferous Ore Deposits " ; and several lecturers and teachers in the Schools of Mines in Victoria and the other colonies, would do credit to any institution." TWO SAD TRAGEDIES. South Australia has just furnished & most distressing case of murder and suicide. It occurred at York, about four miles from Adelaide. George Burgess, a baker, well known in the district, battered in the heads of his wife and t^'o youngest children. The children were : Dora, three years old, and Stanley, 18 months old. The wounds »vere inflicted with a meat chopper, and resulted in the death of Mrs Burgess and the two children. The murderer then cut his owe throat with a table knife, and died in the afternoon. The bodies presented a shocking appearance, the brains of each victim protruding. The family had an excellent reputation, and were of strong religious tendencies. They were members of the York Christian Church.. On the walls of the room where the murder was committed were pasted Scripture texts, such as "It is God that girdeth me with strength." and " The Lord is. my defence. " Burgess had a nourishing business, f»om which he .vas about to retire, and had bought a property on the Henley Beach road, where he intended to spend the rest of his days. Two other children occupied the adjoining room, and Mrs Bruer (Mrs BurK^ss's mother) and Miss Aird (a visitor) were also in the house when the tragedy occurred, but not one of them heard a sound. Three or four years ago Burgess had a paralytic stroke, and on Thursday last complained about his head bring very u>i<L The neighbours had warned Mrs Brr.;i»s» to carefully watch her hus-bnnd. reminding her of the terrible Oxloy murder which occurred at Sturt street, Adelaide, at Christmas time three years ago. Burgess was a most affectionate father and husband, and the home life of the family had been very happy. On Monday evening he danced in the yard with one of the children, and remarked, "The longer wo live the more we love one another. It was Mrs Burgess's thirty-fifth birthday on Tuesday, and in the evening she attended divine service, and celebrated the event by a convivial gathering of friends in her home. Another sad case of the murder of a lin's boy by his mother occurred in Melboui"..-. She lived on a lighter in the river with li r husband and their one little boy, a brighteyed, curly-hairpd little cbap, seven years old. She took the boy to a pool near tho river and held him under until he was dead. Then she threw herself into the river, but some men got her out safely. When the woman was given in charge of Constable Harris she told him what she had done, and said that when she held the boy's head under water he struggled, and asked her piteously what she was doiny. She then knelt on the back of his neck, and held his head down until he lay quite still. Her husband, who says they iiveil very happily, is nearly elemented. The woman, who must have been insane, declared that her husband hnd left her, and that sho could not see the hoy starve.

A WONDERFUL TRIP. We understand the Union Company have already secured a considerable number of pnaaenKers for the South Sea Island trip to b« made by the Waikare in July-Amgudt next. Last year this steamer, in the course of a most interesting voyage, viailed Rarotonga, Tahiti, •Samoa, and Tonga, and thoso who took part in it were enthusiastic regarding the arrangements made for their comfort and entertainment. This year it has been arranged to vary tho excursion so as to include a, visit to Fiji, and to some of the South Sea Inlands which lie somewhat outside tho beaten traok of travel. In addition, therefore, to calling; at Samoa and Tonga, the Waikare will spend some time in Fiji, in the Now Hebrides, and in New Caledonia, finishing up her trip with a visit to. Norfolk Island. Samoa is somewhat prominently before the public at proßent on account of the struggle . for the Kingship. Although this' question will be, definitely sottled, and, the islands quiet again long before the Waikare's call, the signs of the pant struggle will add to tho interest of the visit, although of itself tho wonderful beauty of tho Samoan group is a sufficient attraction to those who appreciate Nature in its loveliest aspects. During th» six days to be spent in Fiji, a- visit is to be made to the island of M'Bega, to witness a fire-walking exhibition by the natives there, who possess tho singular power of walking, with immunity, barefoot over red hot stones. Those islands of miEsionary ontorprise — Banks's Islands and the New Hebrides are also to be visited, and after them New Caledonia and its capital, Noumea, the principal French settlement in the Western Pacific. A call at Norfolk Island, an island paradiae teeming with associations of the mutineers of the Bountyand of Australia's early convict days, will fitly terminate what haa been described as " a perfectly unique voyage amongst the most lovely islands of the marvellous South Seas." The Waikaro leavee Sydney on July 1, and Auckand on July 5, and is expected to arrive back at Sydney about Augurt 8. Tho itinerary provides for much more time being spent on shore, and leas time at sea than on last season's trip. It js also intended . that on the passage' between Tongatabu and Vftvau tho steamer shall paw as close as possible to th& active volcanoes, Tofoa and Kao ',' while in the Now Hebrides good views- of the volcanoes of Ambrym Island, which arc frequently in. eruption, will ba obtained from the anchorage. ' J^*

The smart boy; we all he*r of him. But the duller plodding boy will beat him in tho long run. Why? Because the latter has th« gift of application. Note this fact, parents and boyß, it's worth storing in your knowledge box. Similarly Woodi's Great Peppermini Cure is ». brilliant discovery; but its efficacy lies in Hb application. No cold, catarrh, oi kindred complaint can stay when it arrives. Mark this! la 6d and 2q 6d Oi bcttla ab all oh^oiiot*.