SYDNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6137, 25 March 1898, Page 4

SYDNEY.

SYDNEY, March 9. THE WAR SCARE. Tho warlike-* news from the other side of tho globe is setting us all to calculate chances. Apart from the very remote danger of invasion, it is pretty clear that war in Europe would cause a big demand for wheat, meat, 'and other Australian staples. On the other hand, the financial stringency which would accompany it would necessitate the letting down of many bij>; concerns which are now living on the banks. 'I his would not be an tinmixed calamity, as their competition is very keenly felt by traders who have not a bank at the back of them. Many weak and struggling firms would go down also, but the net outcome would probably be a greatstimiilusforatiuie to colonial industry. That it would be dearly purchased goes without saying. But the economic conditions of the Vorld are so horribly outof joint that a big calamity in one part brings with it considerable palliation for the evils which are already raging in another, just as the failure of che European harvest, which has caused famine in Italy, Austria, Spain and Russia, has brought temporary prosperity to wheatgrowers in other parts of the world. Speaking of wheat, it is plain that if there is sufficient danger of war to cause stocks to go down, wheat ought to go up. As yet there has been no movement in this direction, which shows that the scare has not yet been taken seriously by this section of tlie market. American "bulls" express themselves pretty confidently, because they maintain that the United States has over-exported and that wheat there will be scarce before next harvest. This may be true to some extent. But it must be remembered that high prices, will certainly bring out grain from unexpected quarters, and this may cause a " boil over," as, under similar circumstances, it often has done in the past. The position in Australia would be much stronger if more wheat had been exported. Should prices in London, however, advance, there will be no room for complaint on this score. THE CONVENTION. The Convention is approaching the close of its labours, and now the question is : Can any capital be made out of them for political purposes ? Among the protectionists the Conservative wing are opposed to Federation, whilst on the . other hand, the Young Australia party are in favour of it. A definite pronouncement either way would therefore split the party as hopelessly as would a clear definition of the respective claims of tariff for protection as sgainst tariff for revenue; Among Ministerialists there is the ordinary reputable zeal for " Federation" as a high-sounding plausible cause, which we ought to believe in if we do not, and ought at all hazards to profess to believe in very heartily. But there is no desire to risk anything to bring it\to pass. The democratic wing of the Ministerialists distrust Federation altogether, believing that in the present condition of things it would result in riveting the claims of monopoly and privilege more firmly than ever. Federation on the whole has many enemies and few true friends, but it seems more Hkely to die of indifference than from active hostility. THE ELECTION. The date of the reassembling of. Parliament, and the general election which must shortly follow it, is still wrapped in pleas-, ing uncertainty J People who Invent news when it is scarce have been saying that Parliament will not be convened '■ at all . There was, however, "no more.warrant for the assertion than for the otlier baseless rumour which predicted a split in the Ministry. Mr Reid has played ;his cards very well co far. Members of the Assembly are pleased with him on account of the comfortable conviction which he has inspired in their minds, that he will arrange to allow them to draw their .£6 a week as long as possible. Also, the rumours of the possibility of an early dissolution have drawn the enemy's fire, and brought him ie many electorates prematurely into the field. There is no evidence to connect Mr Reid with this feature of the position, but the probability is that he will profit by it all the same. It. is not now thought that the general election will take place before the* end of June. FISHING. Mr FarnelFs exploits in the trawling line continue to attract a good deal of attention. There is still grave doubt whether they can be expected to lead to any commercial success. Business men would like to know the exact results in marketable fish, not the undersized cieatures which form the bulk of Mr Farnell's hauls. Then, after catching the fish, there is the problem of selling it, which presents great practical difficulties. JOHN NORTON. John Norton is about the most prominent man in Sydney just now. To read the reports in the dailies respecting the inquiry -at the • Town Hall, one would imagine that John was conducting the examination single-handed, and that the Mayor and the rest of the aldermen had obligingly taken a back seat. He has, at any rate, given some of the aldermen to understand that their conduct is as much in question as that of their employes, but without access to the. inner circle it seems improbable that lie will be able to sheet home to them the gross partiality a^d favouritism with which, they are charged outside. He has his own hands pretty full, as, besides the Police Court inquiry which is pending as to a charge pf indecent assault, in which he is the defendant, he has a charge of libel to answer in which heavy damages are claimed. Mr Wise left the Federal Convention in Melbourne to cpme up to Sydney to take the case for the plaintiff, but one of Norton's witnesses was sick, and he got a postponement on that account, greatly to Mr Wise's disgust. . IS.A THEATRE A. FACTORY ? An. inspector under the Factories and Shops Act demanded admittance- into the Lyceum Theatre the other day, when a re-

hearsal was proceeding, and demanded to be shown the- room where the electric light was manufactured, a3 he said he had reason to believe it was " a factory." He was forcibly withstood, but a* stipendiary magistrate inflicted a fine upon the : guilty party. Is a theatre a factory : and if so, what does it turn out ? Clement Scott could give the reply in short order, but it would not be fair to judge all theatres by the worst of their number. No one is entitled to expect a very high standard of conduct from professional mummers, seeinothat the whole essence of their art is makebelieve. Still, they are not all so bad as the things which are said of them. * Ret urriing to the inspector, it appears clear that the intention of the Act was that all places in which a large number of persons are employed, especially if women, | should be inspected in order to see that certain obvious requirements of health and decency are observed. These ought to be attended to without any necessity for inspection. But, unfortunately, they are mot. I don't know that the Lyceum had anything particular to urge against the visit of the inspector. Butthe management claim that they were well within their rights, and it is quite possible that more may yet be heard of the matter. THE THIRLMERE HOME FOR CONSUMPTIVES. The Thirlmere Home for Consumptives, a very deserving institution, is threatened with summary extinction under rather remarkable circumstances. In the first place it was founded at his own expense by Colonel Goodlet. The effects of the crisis compelled ham, in common with many others, to curtail his expenditure, and he appealed to the public for support. They responded for some time with a fair degree of liberality, but when the subscription for the Jubilee Consumptive Hospital was started it seemed to divert altogether the stream of beneficence. The Home was left almost penniless, and, but for a little timely help conceded by the Government, it would have had to be closed altogether. Between two stools the unfortunate consumptive patients threaten to come to the ground. There is no immediate prospect of commencing the hospital, and the Home is in articulo mortis. For one thing contributions for charitable purposes are every year becoming harder to secure. Retrenchment is rife among the wageearning and salaried classes ; whilst, owing to the effects of the crisis and the low rate of interest obtainable, many who appear to be wealthy are not half so well off as they once were. A proposal, made some time ago, that the hospitals should be supported by a tax on unearned incomes, may again be heard of.