AUSTRALIA TO-DAY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14974, 22 May 1914, Page 8

A USTRALIA TO-DAY.

(FROM OCR OWX CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, May 16. PARLIAMENTARY PILLOW FIGHTING. Tactics of extreme obstruction aro being adopted by members of the Lahour Opposition in the Federal Houso of Representatives in connexion with the "test" measures—Bills relating to the abolition of preference to unionists in Government employ, and the restoration of tho postal vote—over which Ministers hope to securo a double dissolution. This practice of obstruction to the extreme limit is not in accord with the views of. the Labour leaders, Mr Fisher and Mr Hughes, who believe in letting tho Government carry through its Bills with the aid of the casting vote of the Speaker, and in letting this method of seen ring tho passage of Bills with the Speaker's help stand out conspicuously as an advertisement to the advantage of the Opposition. However, some of the rank and file of tho party who aro not so sanguine of reelection as aro Messrs Fisher and Hughes, are. figuring all they know at every stage in order to defer as far as possible the day of evil possibilities for them. Although the Ministry is forced by circumstances to make a convincing show of determination to get before the electors as quickly as iJossible, some members on the Ministerial side who are also dubious about their chances of reelection, are suspected of artfully aiding and abetting the obstructors on tho other side. All-night sittings have been instituted, and members' tempers are showing tho effects of fatigue and strain. Knowing what was coming, the shepherds of the .Ministerial flock on Wednesday night provided their charges with blankets and pillows, for those on duty in tho chamber, while iv the party rooms some thirty stretchers anrl_ bedding were provided. When a drnsaon was about to be taken the Ministerial Whip, >r r Massey Greene, hurried out to rally the Ministerial forces. A Labour "member, Mr McGrath, walked across the Chamber, took Mr Greene's pillow, and blanket, and put them tinder and around a tired Labour colleague, Mr Howe, who was slumbering on a bench. When Mr Greene came back there was a row. He demanded the return of his bedding. "Conic and get them," shouted Labour members. "I will," roplied Mr Greono, as wrath in face and action he strode across to where Air Howe dozed. He started to wrench away the pillow and blanket. Mr Howe sat up and offered dosjierate resistance. Mr 'Anstey ran up to Mr Howe's assistance and Air Greene received a punch on the jaw. Others promptly took a hand and' an exciting mix-up ensued. When peace-was restored Mr Greene had to.retire minus his -pillow and blanket, Which remained in tho possession, of Mr Howe, who was heard to declare- in proper heroic fashion that only death would make him surrender. 'However the pillow and hla 4snt were soon afterwards pitched contemptuously at Ministerial members. Later on, at another division, Mr. Greene's .pillow arid blanket were again annexed by Oppositionists, and Mr Greene again sallied across the Chamber to recover. This time he met with ■; no, looks of idrowsy astonishment. For the rest of 'the sitting the Ministerial side of the House looked liko' a hospital, while Labour, members. tried to riinko themselves comfortable with books for pillows and newspapers for blankets. ."THE FIGHTING.PARSON." Alongside Federal Parliament House stands St. Peter's' Church "(Church of England). Hero too there was extrnfighting a: couple of nights wigo. " While there was in progress in the hall connected with a church a festive party in celebration of tho wed- ( ding oi a young clergyman two men' came in from the street and tried to'force their' way into the room. The attendant; an elderly-man, tried to stop therri; but w'as.roughjy handled, and, a clergyman who came to the old man*?s v help was .also given a bad time. In the height? of the' Struggle which had. been- transferred to just outside the.door tho Rev. Canon -Hughes came along! .Now this reverend gentleirian has a punch. In his younger days his skilUas. a boxer won for hinr the "sobriquet of "tho: fighting parson." He\lid not, shed his coat. With two big strides he was up with-the combatants.With two punches he "laid out" both-. of, the' intruders, strong young men, who i were dragging tho verger and his would-be rescuer.in, the mud. ' One of". the Canon's punches was so effectively delivered that the recipient di*l not come to until half an' hour later. ■'"■. The other fellow recovered : earlier, i - When they gob on to thoir. feet. again they found themselves *vi the hands of chuckling policemen. ■ Canon Hughes -was then saying apologetically to. his admiring friends—"But I really couldn't help it, you, know.'? Subsequently, the two victims of the Canon s punch were brought'before the Police Court and fined a nound each With costs for offensive behaviour.' , "'■. GOVERNORS-GENERAL. Our new Governor-General has, roj ceived his first welcome in Australia at Fremantle, .and his immediate predecessor has started on his way back to England. There is no lack, of cordiality in the reception of Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson," while Lord Depman has bcon farewelled with many, heariv expressions of high esteeih. It has to bo said that thus far we have been fortunate in our" Governors-General. Although "he has .shown himself intent upon "punctilious correctness in connexion with-.his- official duties, Lord Denman has proved that he knows.well how to get into sympathetic touch wit i all sections of the community. At the last of the valedictory functions in his honour he said he did not mind admitting now that speechmaking (in which ho has done"very we-1) had"always been a "task With him. He had never really enjoyed it. Perhaps ho, had been spoiled as a speechmaker when he first took a share in public affairs. At ono. ofitho first political meetings addressed by him in England—in the. Midlands— he.said towards the close. "Mr. Chairman, I nowihave to ask myself a question:" A man at .the back of the hall immediately cried out, "And a damned silly- answer you'll get!" He had never properly. got over that set back. This bit of comical explanation started laughter, which has not yet dieddown. Those who' expected, or feared that Lord Denman might say something severe on the eve of his departure about* his eviction from Sydney Government Houso (because of disagree-: ment between. Federal and New South W T ales Ministers), wero relieved by the way m which he touched upon this matter. He saiu that he was pleased to state that he had been on good terms with the Governments of the States, particularly with that of Victoria. It was oTue to them that during the greater part of. his stay in Australia ho had had a roof over his head, alnd for this.Be could not.be sufficiently grateful. ...:".' AVIATION. AVhile that most intrepid Frencli aviator, M. • Guillaux, -is -still;here and continues to give flights -which make beholders gasp, an Italian flyer, Signor E. Bianchi, has arrived at Sydney, where he intends to establish an up-to-date school of aviation. He is bringing out no fewer'than five aeroplanes of- the Bleriot monoplane type. He represents the Bleriot people. Af. Gnillaux' also uses for his aerial acrobatics a Bleriot machine, so it. seems that foreigners intend to secure prime honours, and profit, in, connexion with 1

the establishment ot tne art oi nyin fc .11 Allocl'Ulla. ill (.-UIUICAIuU Wttll. til*. vi.-it oi M. Guiitaux it nas to be recorded that he nas been the first to ny in a hydro-aoropiane in Austiaiia. mis macliiu«, whic-u -ia. ouii.ai.-v ai— worked, wuu equai ease and grace on the waters of Syuuey naroour as weil as in the air above, ueiougs to Mr Lebbeus" Hordern, wiio is said to have paid JLIitXX) for it. It is also sa:d that Al. Hordern intends to give this machine or one like it to the Commonwealth Government for defence purposes. Under the tuition of M. Guiilaux he is learning to fly the hydro-aeroplane himself. He is very enthusiastic about flying, and says, "No more motor-cars for mc." AnotiiL-r item in tlie present aviation boom is the announcement that Mr A. ii. Stone, who has been in New Zealand, will at an early date make a flight from Melbourne to Sydney. • flight is to be in easy stages, and by special arrangement with the Post-master-General. Air Stone will be the first carrier of maiLs between one State and another by aeroplane. Signor Bianchi proposes" to fly from Sydney to Melbourne without a step. CANCER. Public attention is again being drawn to the great humanitarian work that yet remains to be done in tho way of search for effectual means of fighting the scourge cancer. Considerable alarm has been occasioned in Victoria by statements made during the week at a meeting of the Board of Public Health. It was said that cancer was alarmingly prevalent in Victoria as well as in other parts of the Commonwealth, and that there was reason to believe that the distribution of the disease was in part due to "cancerous houses." that is houses infected with cancer to the great peril of those who became occupiers. It was decided to ask all the Hoards of Public Health in the different States to join in unking the Federal Government to vote £50.(100 as the basis of a fund for cancer research in Australia, conditional on another £50 (X being subscribed by the public. Whil--the Minister for Health in this State, Mr Flowers, isays that the Victorian proposition is entitled to very earnest com-ideration. the Director-General of Public Health. Dr. Paton. thinks it well for the Commonwealth to wait until the end of the year when thero will be announced the outcome of the investigation now beim: made on behalf of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in Great Britain. Thereby, says Dr. Paton, overlapping would be avoided. PICTURE SHOWS. One of the latest features in connexion with tho remarkable development of the picture show business is an announcement by the management of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., which is the dominating concern here in matters theatrical and controls a large proportion of the principal theatres in Australia. Tho announcement is to tho effect that tho firm intends to put on picture shows at its various theatres on tho afternoons when the places are not used for theatrical performances. It seems to have struck tho William- ] son management quite suddenly that in these days of living pictu»es much more can be made out of a theatre than by using it for only about 21 hours a week for six nightly theatrical performances and a matinee. So the big firm intends to fill up with matinees of star films each a complete programmo in itself. Air Hugh Ward, ono of the directors, is in America conferring with a group of managers and picture show people on the matter. Further, the V> T illiamsoh management makes it known that a new. theatre to be built ill the heart of the city for it will be devoted exclusively to pictures. SEWER GAS. A short time ago it was reported that the Town Council of Parramatta had, on tho advico of its engineer, decided to. make a trial in the way of generation of useful motive power from sewer gas. Well, we learn now that, thanks possibly to some peculiar potency in the Parramatta gas. tho experiment is proving highly successful. The pumping engines at the Parramatta sewerage works aro being run smoothly and effectively by means of the harnessed gas. Moreover, it is said that the engines when .worked with sewer gas are under better control than when worked with coal gas. -The jubilant engineer reports that there is ample gas for developing 120 horsepower, which is much moro than is required for pumping at the works, : and iho strongly urges the Council to adopt some plan' for the full utilisation of its j j smelly asset. !