COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 16, 21 April 1909, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH.

The Federal ol dage pensions came into operation on the 14th. The price of the four pound loaf baa been raised to 7d in Melbourne. The takings at the Sydney Show were £10,526. against £S39B last year. The total attendances during the week were 246,000. Tom Manu s Trial. The Labour Congress, representing 100,000 workers, passed a resolution today protesting against, the change of venue of Mr. Tom Mann’s trial from Broken Hill to Albury, and a deputation was appointed to wait on the Premier on the subject. Mr. Peter Bowling, the delegate of the Newcastle miners, who moved the resolution, indicated that if the Premier did not do what they considered right, something else would be done. He believed the only power the workers had to-day was that of paralysing industry. He had not advocated that, but if the other means failed they must try the last resort. The Writing OU the Wall. At the annual meeting of the New South Wales Licensed Victuallers’ Assocciation, the president said that unless strenuous efforts by all interested were immediately put into operation at the next local option vote, a still greater number of hotels than under the last vote might be closed. Possibly No-lieense would be carried in some electorates. He admitted that there were too many hotels in Sydney, an I that some should be closed in the public interest. Not as a Favour. A strong official denial is given to the statement that at the Melbourne St. Patrick’s Day celebrations Earl Dudley used the words. “I beg of you for my sake to give three cheers for the King.” Such a form of invitation to any subject of the King is- declared by the denial to be as improper as unnecessary. At the dinner of the Grand Council of the Orange Institution Melbourne, the chairman took the Governor-General to task for attending- the St, Patrick's Day celebration. He said Earl Dudley as representative of the King, had no right to be present, and hoped he would beware of the siren tongue which had too ready access to the vice-royal ear. Broken Hill Strike. £28.000 has been received for the Broken Hill lock-out fund, and over £26.000 has been expended. Mr. Fisker's Naval Policy. Mr Fisher, Federal Prime Minister, replying to comments on the naval policy, said that if the people of the Commonwealth wanted the Government to pre sent a Dreadnought they would have to provide another Government to do it. His idea wns that it would be far better for all concerned if they spent their money in strengthening their own de-

frn« TTp did not wish to s«ty anything abouttliose people who desired to give a j h'radnonglit. hut he declined* to commit the Government to such a foolish act, as those who advocated the giving of a Dreadnought would have to go to the Mother Country and ask her to provide the money to do it. Could anything be more ridiculous? They simply declared to the world that they had neither the money to build battleships themselves nor had they dockyards or material for building them. They also had to admit they had neither men to man them nor trained men to officer them. The Seamen's Inion proposes io confer with Mr Fisher on the question of manning the Commonwealth Navy. ’flic State Treasurer proposes to sug(hat Mr Fisher invite Lord Charles Berosfard to visit Australia and advise tin- Government of naval requirements. Referring to the “Times'* statement about placing the Australian naval forces at the disposal of the Admiralty, the Minister for Defence states that cables •were sent to tin' Admiralty a few days ago setting out the basis of agreement for the control of the local navy. Publication of a portion of the proposals made indicates (hat the Admiralty has decided to accept, them in that particular regard, but until the whole agreement was made public by the Admiralty he could not disclose the terms. Dogs for the Solomons. A shipment of 50 dog® has boon sent from Sydeny to the Solomon Islands,

Where the settlers are troubled by a plague of rats and mice, ether consignment s follow’. Humane Society's Medal for a Woman. The Royal Humane Society has awarded Mrs. Kennedy, wife of a Victorian line repairer, a gold medal for conspicuous bravery in snatching a child from almost under the wheels of an engine. This is the first time the Society has awarded its gold medal to a woman. Death of the Primate. Tie death of the Archbi JiOp of Sydney en<l Primate of Australia. Right Rev. Dr. \V. S- umairz Smith, took place to-day. Dr. Smith has been in ill-health for tome time. He was born in the ( hanncl Islands in 1830. ami was educated at Marlborough and Trinity College, Cambridge, ami was ordained as deacon in 1859, ami as priest in the following year. He was curate of St. Paul’s, Cambridge, Txvm 1859 tu 1861, and was chaplain to

the Bishop of Madras from 1861 till 186.5. He held several other positions, ami from 1869 till 1890 was principal at St. Aidan's College. Birkenhead. In 1890 he was appointed Bishop of Sydney, and seven years later he received the title of archbishop. The late prelate was the author of several theological works. Ho was married in 1870 to Florence, daughter of the Rev. L. Deedes, Rector of Bramwell, and she died in 1890. The Archbishop leaves a son (Rev. Saumarez Smith) ami three daughters. No General Strike. The Labour Congress resolved against a proposal for a general strike as a protest against the change of venue of Mr Tom Mann's trial. Mr Bowling, who had moved the motion, accused certain of the members of cowardice, declaring that they were totally deficient in the spirit of light possessed by the Newcastle miners. The Long Arm. An elderly man named McLaughlin has been arrested at Brisbane and charged with the murder of two men, Stevenson and Muntaffa, at Johannesburg. in January. 1895. He was remanded pending the arrival of a Transvaal police officer. The accused states that he and some mates lost their billets through the two men named, but declares that he had nothing to do with their murder, though he was blamed for it.