COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 9, 26 August 1908, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH.

The death is announced of Mrs. Ivory, at the age of 109 years in Sydney. The Queensland National Bank profits for the half year were £43,481, whereof £23,481 is transferred to the contingency account, £15,000 to depositors’ repayment fund, and £5OOO to reserve. Tho Mount Lyell returns from July 10th till August 12lh inclusive show that 28,934 tons of oro were treated, also 213 tons of purchased orc. The convertors produced 700 tons of blister copper, yielding: Copper 692 tons, silver 52,739 oab gold 1595 dwts.

Tlic report to be presented to the half-yearly meeting of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company shows that the depreciation of silver and lead has reduced profits from £137,402 to £22,770, equivalent to a fall in profit from a ton of ore Of 8/9 to 1/8. A Melbourne firm of lithographers has rearranged the working hours in Zis factory with the object of giving employees as much off time in daylight as possible. From September Ist to April Ist work 'will commence on ordinary days at 7.30 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m., with half an hour off for lunch. On Saturday the day will conclude at 10.30 a.m. The manager was in favour of work commencing at 7 a.m., thus allowing an off day on Saturday, and the firm has signified its intention to arrange the hours on this principle next year if the employees are agreeable. female Franchise in Victoria. A unique deputation, consisting of the Womanhood Suffrage League, formed by men, waited on the Premier (Sir Thos. Bent), who promised to consider tho matter with a view to granting women yotes. The Brisbane Young Men’s Christian Opened. Mrs. W. Crib donated £22,000 to the fund. Well Ont of It. 'While playing beside the edge of a well at the back of her house, Sydney, Mrs. Raynor’s child fell into the .water. Mrs. Raynor heard the splash and, carrying her baby to the side of the well, she jumped down to rescue the older child. The baby, looking for its mother, crawled to tlic edge of the well and tumbled in. The mother, standing up to her neck in the iec-cold vjater, held both children above her head for an hour until help came, when all three were rescued in safety. Sir Henry Weeden (Lord Mayor of Melbourne) has returned from England. He sayw the Anglo-French Exhibition was the best and cheapest advertisement Australia ever had. He had heard nothing in England regarding the rumour current in Australia that the King was likely to yieit Australia, and thinks such a visit Improbable. Captain Colquhoun, commander of the Queensland gunboat Gayundah, died suddenly of heart, failure after the vessel -arrived in Sydney to participate in the .Welcome to the American fleet. Deceased .was well known in Australian naval •irclc’. South Australian Polities. In the Assembly the Labour party succeeded in altering the Constitution Act Amendment Bill against the Government, and in favour of six Ministers with a salary of £lOOO each. At present South Australia has _a Ministry of four. Death of Mr. Crick. whe sudden death is announced of Mr. W. P. Crick, ex-Minister for Lands, from Mr. Crick attended the races last Saturday. ‘Across Australia in a Motor Car. Messrs. Dutton, Aunger, and Allchurch have arrived at Port Darwin overland from Adelaide by motor car. Both men and machine are in excellent condition after the long and hazardous Journey across Australia, which was aceoiiiplished on one set of tyres. The motorists had some trying experiences among the sandhills. Improved Queensland Butter. "VVeddel’s Annual Review” refers to the remarkable improvement in Queens-, laud butter, which is attributed largely to the strictness of grading. The article advocates compulsory grading, and the stamping of the number of the grade on boxes. The “Review” considers that the probable average values of butter and cheese during the coming season will be somewhat lower than last.

The American Fleet in Sydney. The great white fleet of the United States arrived in Sydney Harbour on August 20, Admiral (Sperry’s flagship in the lead, entering the Heads at precisely at th hour arranged, vis-, 11.30 o’clock. The coastline was everywhere black with humanity, and the harbour alive with craft of all descriptions, nnd it is believed that over 400,000 people viewed the great naval pageant, some estimates giving the figure at half-a-million. Tramway and other accidents were numerous, many of them being serious. Several seasick passengers fell overboard at the Heads, but were rescued. One man fell from the roof of a tram, and was killed. Another man was killed by falling over a cliff at South Head. About 50 persons were treated in the hospitals On Sunday there was a church parade of the Commonwealth naval and military. forces in Centennial Park, vvhen the Governor presented the colours to the Second Infantry Regiment. Over 70,000 spectators were present, including a number of American visitors. Many of the churches arranged special services, extending invitations to the fleet. Over SOO officers and men attended High Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedra), a subsequent banquet being arranged by the Catholic community. The round of fleet festivities was was launched on Friday, the official land"’g, public receptions, and procession of the Admirals and their staffs, and a large contingent of sailors from the fleet taking place under perfect weather conditions and amid scenes of unbounded enthusiasm. From an early hour people began to gather along the line of route, and long before the march-past took place every inch of space was jammed, balconies, roofs, and every possible point where a view was obtainable being occupied. Business was practically at a standstill. Seldom, if ever, has a larger or more generously demonstrative gathering been seen in Sydney. The landing of representative units of the fleet, numbering 150, officers, and 2350 sailors and marines, was made at 10 o’clock at Farm Cove and Woolloomooloo Bay. Thence the procession marched to the outer domain. The streets through which the procession passed were elaborately deeorated, notably Macquarie-street nnd Martin Place. There was a citizens’ avenue in Park-street, an American avenue in Pittutreet, and Venetian masts lined the sides of all the streets. Thousands of flags, the Stars and Stripes predominating, fluttered everywhere, and strung from all the side streets were flags, interspersed with shields and other emblematic designs, mottoes, greetings, and greenery. Martin Place was a blaze of colour. Tall white plaster columns flanked each side, capped with golden eagles and crowns, long streamers of multi-coloured drapery, roofing the street over, greenery giving a fine finishing effect. Macquariestreet provided a splendid picture, the interweaving of brilliant colouring, greenery, and gloaming white columns, producing fine artistic effects. The procession of such a large body of the visitors with rifles on their shoulders and their smart appearance and splendid discipline, raised the enthusiasm to concert pitch, and the tramp of the marching feet was constantly punctuated and drowned with rolling bursts of cheering as the bluejackets threaded their way through the sea of people, packed end on end along the route. Bands stationed at various points discoursed music. The people fully entered into the spirit of the welcome, and everywhere there was enthusiasm and good humour. The guests at the State Banquet numbered a thousand. Mr. Wade, Premier of New South Wales, in proposing the King ami President, said that the feeling! of kinship between the United States and Britain was growing stronger year hy year. Tho British were only too willing to regard their friends across the Atlantic as natural allies. Mr. Deakin, in proposing the toast of Lord Northcote, Governor-General, paid a glowing farewell tribute to the departing Governor-General. He described the fleet as harbingers of peace, bringing to Australia a message of confidence, and carrying throughout the world an assurance of strength. No other flag would have received the welcome that was being tendered on this occasion. Lord Northcote, in his reply, said that

he believed such visits only required development to become an important factor for the peace and progress of the world. He hoped the time would e-ome when an Australian squadron would be able to return the visit. Admiral Sperry, replying to the toast of “Our Guest,” said that their welcome had been cordial and enthusiastic beyond measure from the people, from their representatives, and the representatives of the King, and back of it all was kinship, common interests, blood, and common Christianity. He hoped the ties, which were strong as steel, would become stronger and more numerous. Admiral Sperry then proposed the British Navy. Admiral Sir Richard Poore, replying, attributed the enthusiasm and friendship to their interests being almost identical, because each was strong and respected the other’s strength, and because of their united efforts to maintain peace. Mr. Deakin, responding to tho toast of the Commonwealth, looked forward to the day when from our harbour would go forth a fleet worthy to be compared with the magnificent squadron which had reached Australian shores. Lord Northcote sent the following message to President Roosevelt on Thursday:— “Australians, hundreds of thousands of 'whom are gathered on the shores of Sydney Harbour to welcome the battleships of the fleet of the United States, at this moment entering the eastern gateway of this continent, unite in cordial greetings to President Roosevelt. The people of the Commonwealth gratefully appreciate the generous response to their invitation by ♦he President and citizens of your great Republic, and rejoice in the opportunity afforded by this demonstration of tlic might of America’s naval power to express their sincere admiration of your sailors, and their esteem end affection for the country whose glorious flag they hope to s<Je always floating beside that of their Motherland.” President Roosevelt noplied: — “I desire to express to the GovernorGeneral and the Government, and through them to the entire people of the mighty Commonwealth of Australia the appreciation which the American people feel for their generous hospitality io the American fleet. Tire people of this Republic hold in peculiar esteem and admiration the people of Australia, and it is a real pleasure to me, on behalf of the nation, to accept the generous hospitality proffered by Australia to the fleet on its voyage of peace, for the American Navy is a menace to no Power, but is, on the contrary, as -we believe, an asset of high importance in securing peace and justice throughout the world.”