The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1752, 14 August 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1874.

Thb Legislature decline to interfere with the hours of labor in our mines and

batteries. The petition of the engineers and engine drivers forwarded from the Thames about a month ago has been

ineffectual in obtaining fer them any con- , iideration. The prayer which the engU uteri preferred was a very reasonable one, namely that a clause might be inserted in the Bill before the House limiting the day's work to eight hours. One of the reasons given was that the long shifts of twelve hours generally prevailing on the field were calculated to lead to accidents, by exhausting the mental and physical capabilities of the drivers and so preventing them from giving that unwearying attention to their duties which their onerous, nature required. Mr. Chas. Q'Neill, M.H.8., was entrusted with the duty of presenting the petition, and yesterday he moved for the iniertion of the clause referred to in the Bill for the : Better Prevention of Mining Accidents, when he was defeated by 23 to 5. : From his recent experience on the Boiler Accident Commission, Mr. O'Neill was wdl qualified to speak to the necessity for some siwb provision being made as that

which the clause he proposed would have given, but members appear to have turned a deaf ear to the hon. mover's arguments, and rejected his motion. The engine drivers will now have to depend on their own action if. they wish to see the eight hours system generally adopted.

Theee is too much reason to fear that a serious difficulty has arisen in carrying , out the San Francisco mail contract. In Sydney and Melbourne it had been publicly atated before the Victoria left that the mail steamers from California had been . discontinued, but it was thought that the statement was attributable to the delay in the : sailing of <; the Tartar, which boat had to be taken into dock and repaired after arriving at 'Frisco. Then a telegram was received by/Mr. Fredi. Lyster, advance agent for Mr. Sothern,the famous actor, stating that the latter could not fulfil his engagement in Australia owing to the breakdown in tlie line. A good deal of fog appears; to have sur? rounded these reports in Australia, and it was thought by some that they arose frcm misinterpretation of a telegram or the detention of the Tartar before alluded to. The rumours have, however, been confirmed by a telegram to Mr. Vogel, read to the House yesterday, announcing the breakdown of the line through, the inability of one of the contractors to, carry out his agreement. It is much to be feared that the cojlapse will prove fatal to the present service^ although it is stated that fresh arrangements are trying to be made. Should the fcontractora, Messrs H. H. Hall and Paul Siemen Forbes failin carrying outtheir agreement, or in making other arrangements to be relieved of their contract, a serious delay muat take place in organising a new service. It does seem- strange that a firm reputed to be wealthy, enterprising and having large experience should break down before they have even entered upon their permanent contract. One of Mr. Russell's letters to the PostmasterGeneral, written after Hall and Forbes had signed the contract, said:—"The contracts are now in the hands of gentlemen of undoubted means, of great enterprise, and of the most extensive experience, both as owners and managers of steam services." This is scarcely borne out by experience, and unless special and unforseen difficulties have arisen, the Government oujrht to exact the fulfilment of their bond, the parties to the contract being more come-at-able than Mr. Webb and his backer*.