AUSTRALIAN LETTER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 232, 30 September 1929, Page 10

AUSTRALIAN LETTER

SYDNEY, Sept. 13, 1929. The Federal Crisis When the Bruce-Page Ministry fell the staid old Sydney Moaning ii. raid exploded. “DEFEATED, u snrie.ied in huge type, that spread across three columns! So much solid ink had never appeared on its news page. Never before had one word received such prodigious display. The effect of the message was to make John Citizen do some hard thinking about political matters. Previously, the doings of Parliament as reported in the press had been read by him with only half an eye. The whole business had seemed just like other news—cables, racing, scandal or crime. It seemed to exist in the papers only, as pictures do on the screen. Now he began to realise, fairly and squarely, that it wasn’t “news” but fact, and a fact that concerned him very materially. “This abolition of the Federal Arbitration Court, what do I really think about it?” he wondered. “This Amusement Tax, how is that going to hit me?” he asked himself. “That withdrawal of the prosecution against John Brown, wa s that right?” he enquired. “Bruce, or Hughes, or Scullin? Nationalist, wrecker, or Labour—under which banner do I stand?” Mr Bruce, Primv Minister

One of the outstanding features of Australian politics is the high opinion that exists throughout the Commonwealth of the character of Mr Bruce. For solidity, sincerity, integrity and patriotism, he is universally admired. Ther e is a large body of people of all classes in all the States, who regard him as the ideal public man. Such people are not always political students. Let a man gain their esteem and they follow him through thick and thin. They will not be turned aside by any party bias. Mr Bruce is well aware-of this fact. “There is a quiet voice in this country,he said recently, “and if you travel in Queensland and the far west of Australia, and the Central States you would be amazed at its influence, and how adequately it expresses public opinion. You would be amazed at the number of letters I receive from those people. If an election is the remedy, Lam prepared to face it with confidence.” Mr W. M. Hughes—Ex-Prime Minister Of Mr Hughes, nothing similar can be said. He has his personal following, but it is not that of a party. He may comncl admiration for his brilliancy. He may command affection from the Diggers of the A.I.F. But Labour has definitely cast him overboard, and he will never be supported by capital. His only hope is that in the shuffle of the elections he may at the finish find some cards in his hand that will enable him to take an odd trick, or do some bluffing. Mr Scullin—The Labour Party Leader Mr Scullin, the Labour Leader, has not yet won hi s spurs as a party captain/ and Mr Theodore, his lieutenant, is slipping from favour among his comrades. The Country Party is as solid as a rock.

The danger point of the conflict lies in New South Wales, the pivotal State , of the elections, where damage may be don e to Nationalist candidates by the exertions of Mr Hughes, the support of the “Sun’’ group of newspapers, and the formation of a new political party—the Australian People’s Party. This last mentioned creature is declared to have been cunningly incubated and secretly hatched by the “Sun’» under the attention of Mr Hughes. Unfortunately for the bird, the sudden dissolution and the early date of the elections have given the fledgling no chance to emerge from the pin-feather stage, and it is impossible even to tell whether it is going to be a fowl or an eagle. Then, of course, there are the picture theatre interests and the unpopular Amusement Tax to be considered, the increases in all kinds of taxation, the usual Labour tactics and class propaganda, the unsatisfactory record of the Government in finance, its extravagance and all the rest of the welter and turmoil that distract the judgment of electors. After all, the most stable element in the coming uproar is the deep-rooted faith in Mr Bruce as a man. How he and his party will emerge from the dust and shindy will soon be the history of one of the most important and dramatic episodes in our politics. Picturegrams

Pictures may now be sent by telegraphic means between capital and capital, and this week the first specimens appeared in the press. Within a few minutes a portrait, a prospectus, a news article, a finger-print, a cheque—anything capable of graphic reproduction—may bo put upon a machine in Melbourne and be reproduced in 20 minutes in Sydney. How it is going to enter into the general life of the people is not now apparent. It will be of great value to newspapers, which will use it to depict current happenings in other cities. The rapid transmission of portraits and finger-prints will add another terror to criminals making a get-away from one city to another. The means of transmission are wonderfully simple and effective. A picture 10 inches by 7 inches can be transmitted on a 1 coarse screen in nine minutes. A fine screen picture, almost equal to a studio photograph, takes 15 minutes. The charges for a' picture this size are 47s 6d for the coarse screen and 67s for the fine, but it is probable that the rates will be greatly reduced at an early date. Balance Sheets

Thi s is the busy time for accountants and auditors —or perhaps it is just over—and the commercial columns of the papers are running in full spate with reviews of company balance sheets. Certainly the editors of financial publications are going for “the lick of their lives,” comparing this year’s figures with previous ones, and making comments on profit and loss accounts, so that shareholders and the general public may learn the story of gain or loss, of progress or decline, that the figures reveal. As a rule, the customary dividends- are being paid, with a nice little sum tucked away to reserves as well.

But the reading of scores of balance sheets (and their reviews by the aforementioned editors) brings vividly to the mind the difficulties and dangers of these times in Australia. Melbourne Steamship Co. Ltd., for instance:

“The admitted profit of £23,791, about £270 less than last year, is considered to be disappointing, having regard to the assets employed. This result is attributed to the waterside workers’ six months’ strike and the coal stoppage, which with general quietness in ’ra le, prevented the Acet from being lull; employed.” Henry Berry and Co. (A’asia) Ltd.: “The prolonged strikes and drought conditions which prevailed during the year, no doubt caused a shrinkage in the subsidiary company’s earnings.” Sargents, Ltd. (caterers and cafe proprietors): “The directors do not offer any comment on the reduction of £3765 in the net profit to £40,007.” But it is well known that the bad state of unemployment iu Sydney has adversely affected all eating houses. Sargents lost the price of thousands of meals from penniless men who dashed past the ‘cashier’s desk shouting, “Charge it to the Government!’’ George Farmer, Ltd. (bacon curers, Victoria): “ The directors attribute the decline in earnings to the lower range of prices ruling for most of the year and adverse trade conditions generally.” (And yet. they paid 14 per cent.) Bennett and Fisher Ltd. (stock and station agents, South Australia): “It was scarcely to be expected that in the face of the unsatisfactory conditions prevailing in the State that this company would be able to show any increases in its earnings.” Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co. Ltd. (N.S.W.): “The decrease of 824 in the number of ships entering the port and the consequently reduced ’ tonnage of 219,063 tons were responsible for the shortage of work at the docks, while the troubles in the coal and timber industries also had an adverse effect on earnings.” Samuel Allen and Sons, Ltd. (general merchants shipping, etc.. Queensland): “Having regard to the depressed conditions in Queensland during the past year, the increase of £6,834 in the gross profits to £185,692 is rather satisfactory.” And so on.

The trials and tribulations of Australian commerce have their causes in climatic and human obstacles — droughts and strikes. The former is being steadily overcome by the application of science. The latter has been met with legislation and the results have been profitless. When Labour and Capital square their accounts, when the spirit of co-operation prevails — and there are unmistakable signs that both sides are seeing the light—the golden days will return and the balance sheets, in household as well as in trade, make better reading. Rules for Modesty in Dress

“(1) Girls from four to ten years, wear dresses to the knee, and sleeves at least to the elbow.

“(2) Girls from ten to fourteen year s wear dresses not less than two inches below the knee when sitting, and sleeves of dresses at least to the elbow.

“(3) Girls over fourteen years — (a) wear dresses at least four inches below the knee when sitting; (b) sleeves, including those of sports costume, to the elbow; (c) “V” necks never to be worn; (d) sleeves of evening dresses to cover the shoulder and pit of arm; (e) necks of dresses, in every case, to be not more than two inches below the pit of the throat; (f) transparent material for dresses to be rigidly excluded, unless worn over a non-transparent slip; (g) flesh-col-oured stockings not to be worn; (h) bathing costume to consist of a twopiece costume reaching to the knee, beach robes, closed from neck to knee, are always to be worn; (i) bathers are never to loiter in bathing costumes on the beach, or have photographs taken in bathing costume.” Such are the “rules for modesty in dress,” formulated by the Association of Roman Catholic Religious Women. They were incorporated in a pastoral letter by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney (Dr Kelly) and were read last Sunday in all Roman Catholic churches in Sydney. So far, after careful observation, no difference is visible in the shortness of skirts. “V” necks are very common, and flesh-coloured stockings particularly so. However, .as soon, as Sydney girls wear ’em longer, or cover more up, or go for woollen stockings, you will be advised by first post. The Digger Spirit

A New Zealand Digger, consumptive and penniless, wrote to another New Zealand Digger and said that he was down on his luck, his wife was ill, and his two children living on charity. Was there a branch of the R.S.A. of New Zealand in Sydney to help him? Digger Number Two replied in the negative, but reported his case to Dr Purdy, who is President of the New Zealand Association and also newly elected President of the Returned Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Imperial League for New South Wales. The case was that of an ex-soldier who had developed tuberculosis after the wiw and was therefore not entitled to pension. The league promptly came to his aid, granted him and his wife financial assistance, and saw that the children should not want for clothing.

The R.S.S.I.L. of New South Wales never stays its hand when a poor or distressed soldier needs relief. There is the case of a Mons veteran who received succour in his distress. Even the funeral expenses of a German were paid from their funds. It was enough that he had fought for hig country. “No soldier shall be buried in a pauper’s grave,” is its motto, and when the German residents of Sydney heard afterwards of the case, they raised hundreds of pounds for the league’s funds. This is how Digger Number Two replied to Digger Number One, a complete stranger: . . , . “This letter is typed because it is my usual way of conducting correspondence. You see, Johnny Turk made a mess of my right hand, and my writing ig unreadable. Hence the machine.

“I am out of a job myself and have a wife and three kiddies. I walk to town from Bondi each day for work, but have had no luck so far. I cannot afford tram fares. Still, 1 have my health, and although I cannot help you financially I can at least shake up those who' are able, and I think willing to help you when your case is made known.

“What size are you? 1 have an overcoat which might be of some use. It is one I had in New Zealand and still warm but a bit shabby, and I got a new one at the beginning of the winter. I am only sft. 4in. in height, so you can tell if it would be of any use to you. If not, let me know as there will be some other chap it might fit. Also let me know your size in boots.

“Cheer up, old man.” We used io say in Palestine, “They cannot shoot you BEFORE dawn, anywav.’’ AU

I can do is barrack and battle for you at present and I will do that. . .” Digger Number Two hag since got a good job. Good luck to him! Wherever New Zealand Diggers foregather he is hailed as “Good old ‘Chappie