COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 7, 17 February 1909, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH.

The Sydney Millers* Association lias raised the price of flour 10,'. Best city brands are now uuoted nt £lO.

It is reported that Lord Chelmsford (Governor of Queensland) has accepted the Governorship of New South Wales, in succession to Sir Harry Rawson. The wreck of th.* steamer Aeon on* Christmas Inland has boon sold at San Francisco to a number of Sydney buyers. It is lik !y that a small salvage company will be formed.

a ofeamer Ashore. Wilbon’s Promontory reports that the •trainer Mildred went ashore near the Promontory on Sunday night in ‘a dense fog. All hands are safe. The vessel is full of water. Licensing Legislation. The report of Mr Carson, who recently visited Victoria. New South Wales, and New Zealand to study the various systems of licensing legislation, was pre* rented to the Parliament last yveek. Mi C«ir<on says that the Victorian system. though bureaucratic in form, has proved an admirable working machine for closing up the worst houses. These have to go from the districts where the licensed houses are thickest, while uif der the New South Wales system of local option reduction is carried in districts where there are so few public-houses that one more or loss hardly affects the temperance or intemperance of the community. As regards New Zealand. Mr Carson the rapid strides made by the No-license movement, and admits the prospect of the licensed trade being wiped out altogether at no very distant date. He claims, however, that the sys> tern is still on its trial. Hitherto the experiment has been confined to comparatively small towns, and not until one of the four complete metropolitan areas with all its suburbs comes under No license ran the experiment be regarded «s having been thoroughly tested. In No-license towns he admits that there is less open drunkenness, and that the removal of open means of temptation has tended to wean some men from the chi habit. On the other hand, the evidence. he says, is conclusive that the aggregate quantity of liquor consumed is practically unaffected, that much drinking still goes on in the No-license districts. . that the closed bar has taken the place of the open bar, that there is more secret drinking and more drinking in the houses of the people, that where a license district is ••oiitinguo.is to..a No-license district much drinking is precipitated from the latter into the former, and that the strength of the No-license vote is accounted for by the enthusiasm and splendid organisation'of the temperance party’s woman’s vote, influenced by woman’s natural de-. Fire for social reforms. It is pointed out that the concrete result of the New Zealand system does not compare favourably with Victoria. After » three years’ strenuous No-license campaign about 150 houses are to be closed throughout the Dominion, and not the worst houses at that. Mpre had been done in Victoria in 18 months,, with the trnpreme advantage that the worst houses had been Hosed, while reduction has proceeded steadily by judicial process. I Schooner in a Gale, lie schooner Maroro, which left Newcastle for Wanganui on the 3rd inst., has returned to Sydney. During a livrre gale on Friday, she was thrown on her beam ends, and Captain Feast was washed overboard and drowned. Tin- mate narrowly escaped the same fate, being rescued from the rigging. The cessel lost her mainsail, and sustained other slight damage. A Mare's Nest. Hang Yung Liang, the newly-appointed Chinese Consul-General for New' Zealand, declared in the course of an inter- \ iew in Sydney that the “yellow peril’’ tears were amusing and quite wide of the mark. Hie i hineM*. be remarked, had not the le«|St idea of giving battle. rhe love of peace was ingrained in them, ami they wished to co-operate in movements best calculated to a«han<- • the well-being of humanity as a whole. . * Closing up the Ranks. *1 he • xecutive o|Fn ci s of the Northern Collierv Employees’ Federation have held vend cmifereiices with Mr Hickey, ttie New Zealand miners’ representative. The result of the resolutions formukited is to bring the New’ South Wales and New Zealand mining organisations into closer relationship for mutual support, and the seamen’s and waterside workers’ uuiou* are also to be asked to tv operate.

The Naval Pinnace Disaster. In connection with the collision between the steamer Dunmore and a pinnace belonging to H.M.S. Encounter, which occurred in Sydney Harbour on January 5, resulting in 15 bluejackets losing their lives, the Coroner (Mr. Stephen Murphy) found that the collision was caused by the negligent and careless navigation of Samuel Bryant, coxswain of the pinnace, who was committed for trial on a charge of manslaughter. The Coroner said that it appeared to him that if the towline between the launch and the pinnace had been fastened so as to be quickly east off in ease of emergency, there would have been no loss of life. Captain Hansen, of the Dimmore, followed the regulations applicable to a ease of this kind, and must be held acquitted of criminal negligence, but the Coroner was of opinion that he and his crew did not sufficiently exert themselves to save the lives of the men who had been drowned, and was also of opinion that Bryant was to some extent the vij’ tim of circumstances. Vancouver Service. Sir James Mills (general manager of the Union Steam Ship Company) interviewed the Postmaster-General last week, on the subject of improving the Vancouver mail service, in return for a larger subsidy. It is proposed to increase the subsidy by £19,000, Canada’s extra payment being approximately £10,677, Australia’s £7665, and Fiji’s £656, making a total subsidy of £85.000. The contract is to be for three years from July 31, and in return for the increase Sir Janies Mills said the Union Steam Ship Company would improve the service by additional ships, to give a speed of 14 knots, or 22J days for the inn across the Pacific. The Postmjaster-General states that while he does not object to the increased subsidy, he thinks it should not be chargeable to the Postal Department. Citizens from Italy. The suggestion has been unofficially made to the Minister for Heme Affairs that 400 or ,500-boys, who lost their parents in the Italian earthquake, should be received as citizens of Australia. The boys are under the control of the Carmelites, and are being trained in agrieul-. tural work. The .Minister thinks the matter is one for the State to consider. Victorian .Politics. *1 he Governor’s speech at the opening of the session of Victorian State Parliament announced that the Government will pursue an active policy of reproductive works and railway construction. It will be necessary to ask for additional borrowing powers, and a loan will probably be floated at the first favourable opportunity. After a brief recess, the Ministry will introduce some important policy measures. The Clan Ranalad Mystery. The inquiry into the Clan Ranald disaster has failed to elicit any evidence to clearly account tyr the sudden careening of the vessel. The cargo was properly- stowed and the vessel well-found, and there is no ground for laying charges against the surviving officers. There was no evidence to show that the deceased officers on watch neglected their duty. Australia's Navy. Leading shipbuilders on the Admiralty list have informed Captain Collins, the Commonwealth agent, Uiat they will submit quotations for the destroyers on February 23 (says a London cable). The Lalwjur Council protests against the Federal Government letting ihe eontract for the construction of two torpedo destroyers, in England, while facility for' ■•allying out the work already exists in the Commonwealth. The Federal Government has decided to at once order two torpedo-destroyers of the river class. They are to be of the latest approved type. Money , has been allotted to establish a tsoveriunent shipbuilding yard. The locality, or even the State, has not yet been determined. The first work to be undertaken in this yard will be the completion of another de-

stroyer. The two new boats will take about twelve months to construct. The liver class of boats have a displacement of 650 tons to 700 tons; length overall, 230 ft; breadth, 23ft. 6in.; maximum draught, Sit. 'Jin.; speed, 26 knots; indicated horse-power, 9210; oil fuel; steaming radius, 2500 miles at 14 knots; over 3000 miles at 10 knots. They carry 150 tons of oil fuel- The armament is one •tin. quick-firing and three 12 pounder quick-firing guns, and three torpedo tubes, despatching ISin. torpedoes. The complement is 50 officers and men.

It is the intention of the Government to send to England skilled operatives to be employed by the successful tenderer’s on the work of construction. These men will be engaged on the understanding that on the completion of the contract they will return to Australia, and be employed, building additional vessels. The cost of the two boats is to be defrayed from the £250,000 which was appropriated under the coastal defence vote. That amount, it is estimated, will be sufficient. Tire vessels, being efficient sea beats, will be brought from England under their own steam..