Our Sydney Letter.

Southland Times, Issue 14855, 26 January 1901, Page 2

Our Sydney Letter.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

patronage. At the present moment Sydney is besieged by an army of placehunters nearly as numerous as tho visitors who came over for the Commonwealth celebrations. The latter, indeed, fortunately for their own comfort, were not so numerous as it was expected they would be, and many speculations which had been based on tho assumption that there would be an enormous and insatiable crowd to cater for fizzled out ignominiously, and left the enterprising jpromoters stranded. The offices to be filled are multitudinous. Mr Barton, who wears habitually an air of mystery far too dense to be penetrated by any ordinary weapon,- has a Federal portfolio to dispose of. It is understood that it is to go to Queensland, and a largo number of worthy gentlemen are on the tenterhooks of expectation accordingly, because it is more than probable that a reconstruction of the State Ministry will also take place, and this would necessarily be affected by the decision. This, however, is at the very top of tho tree. Each of Mr Barton’s colleagues has important billets to give away in connection with the department he has taken over. All the offices in connection with the Federal Parliament are to be filled, including a separate Hansard staff. Our own State Government is constituting a large number of “ boards,” and finds a plethora of material (not necessarily wooden), from which to make a selection. There is the Darling Harbour Re- . sumption Board, the Harbour Trust, the Old Age Pensions Board, and the Commission which is to have a good time inquiring into industrial arbitration, besides other unconsidered trifles, which will carry with them nice little pickings, without imposing too arduous duties on the recipient. Last, but by no means least, there is the selection of the contingent for (South Africa, which (Mr O’Sullivan’s minimum wage to the contrary notwithstanding) all tilings considered is much better paid and more easily obtainable than “ hard graft ” in Australia. For these last positions there are only about three times as many applicants as are required, but for some of the others there are probably a hundred times as many. Those who have the disposal of this patronage are necessarily the most important men in the community, but it is more than questionable whether the best means are taken to obtain the services of the best men. the state cow. It is a curious commentary on our boasted ’ 20th century civilisation that the natural ’ resources which furnish the real wealth of 1 the community should be so generally locked up or otherwise neglected, and those who patiently and laboriously endeavour to de- . velop them should be regarded as of so little J account. The cream of their labours—some ■ ten or eleven millions a year- is skimmed off for the State Treasury, and the clever schemers who cluster round it like flies round a treacle cask, are enabled to live in ease and luxury, not according to the value of the services which they render, but according to their pertinacity and adroitness, and the strength of the “ influence.” they ; are able to enlist. Those who are most officious in pushing themselves forward are i not necessarily, nor even probably, the best men for the positions. Indeed, in the Roi man Catholic church, the profession nolo episcopari is exacted before promotion is i conferred. The office should seek the man rather than the man the office. But the dark ages of nepotism and intrigue will have to vanish before the beams of enlightI ened public spirit ere so desirable a consummation can take place. ' ONE MAN ONE BILLET. j The unsophisticated labourer who regretted that he had not been brought up to • be a bishop, because it was such a clean and easy business, might have extended his con- . sideration to the political world, where the duties are also light and the pay liberal. Sir William ’Lyne, for instance, manages to fill the position of Minister of State for the Interior in the Federal Cabinet, and to perform the important work of laying a foundation which is to last for all future time, and at the same time, in his capacity of Premier and Treasurer, he “ runs the show ” in the parent State, and finds sufficient leisure to visit the Hume electorate, and his native island of Tasmania. Most of the ordinary place hunters would be satisfied with one billet, but there are evidently possibilities which have not been taken into consideration. THE EXPORT OF FLOUR. The aid of co-operation is being invoked in the flour trade. The mills of New South Wales produces more flour than can be consumed by the trade of the State. To get rid of their surplus they compete with one another until prices become almost ruinously low, and this without materially increasing the demand for their product, for, after all, one’s capacities in the way of the consumption of breadstuffs are strictly limited. Even if they were given away, one can only eat one meal at a time. It is proposed that to do away with this competition millers shall combine to ship their surplus to Home or foreign markets. By this means they would be able to get a fair price here, and would not be able to raise it unduly because of the competition from millers of the other colonies. The obvious rejoinder is that each is at liberty to export now if he chooses to do so. Of course an association controlling large quantities will be able to get better terms as to freight, storage and commission than individual operators controlling only small quantities. Is the difference sufficiently pronounced to warrant the acceptance of the restrictions which would be involved in joining an association ? In this connection it may be pointed out that those who remain outside will get all the benefits of the co-operative action without undertaking any of its obligations. If there is legitimate scope for the inauguration of an export trade in flour there is plenty of capital ready to be put into the business, and those who work for their own interest usually work more economically and effectively than agents who are merely servants of a corporation. The question can be regarded from many points of view. Meanwhile it is of interest to note that flour is exceptionally cheap and that New South Wales is taking an acknowledged place amoung the countries which export breadstuffs. WHEN DOCTORS DIFFER. The Australian “medicine men” who control the weather office would command more attention if their conclusions agreed together more fully and more often. Mr Wragge, who is on a visit to Europe, has been much struck with a mode in vogue in Styria, a province of Austria, for averting hail storms by explosions. Cannon so constructed as to] cause a maximum of [shock and vibration when discharged, are pointed vertically. Hail is always a product of a thunder "storm. When thunder clouds begin to gather in the valley the cannon, loaded with blank cartridge, are discharged into the sky, and it is claimed that the shocks thus produced remove (the atmospheric tension which favours the formation of hail, and only beneficent rain is forthcoming. Mr Wragge thinks that Australian farmers and vinegrowers might avert very serious damage by adopting similar means. Mr Russell, on the other hand, pooh-poohs the idea as an exploded superstitution. Which is right time will tell. Sydney public opinion is inclined to favour Mr Wragge. MR SEDDON. The Premier of New Zealand, who has now left Sydney on a visit to Brisbane, made himself very popular whilst here. It is said, however, that he does not consider that Sir William Lyne exacts from his subordinates anything like the unquestioning deference which is due to the Prime Minister of the State. Some amusing stories are told in this connection. It will be noted that the forecast that the visiting Imperial troops would call at New Zealand has been verified, and Mr Seddon has received a cable from the War Office to that effect. They will furnish a splendid object lesson touch’ng the military resources of the Empire. Sydney, 16th January.