OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 7

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

■ 1 THE POLITICAL SITUATION. (mom oub own correspondent.)

•r'v' ':;! ' '■ ,: ;: : '-. '" Sydney, April 10., ; The political atmosphere does not 6eem to have beehjendered very much clearer as: tho result of tho speech, delivered -at Gympie by Mr. Fisher, the Prime Minister. Mr. Deakiri sp'oke -in J3ydnoyon' night, :whon he might have boon oxpected to range himself either on the'side of Mr.-Fisher or against .him, now that ho was in possession of his policy;.;but all that ho did :ia : this speech was to draw attention'to certain'weaknesses in the Prime .Minister's financial plans,' and make an impassioned appeai for-the defence of 'Australia. ■' Is'- : Mr. • i'ishor to : continue -to rule ,with tho support of Mr. Deakin,' or is there to'he a coalition between-tho forces of Mr, Deakin and those of Mr. Cook?: .Thesd are the questions'asked by_ everybody. \yho .takes, any, interest '.at; all in tho. ; political situation,, and the only man who can answer horn prefers V-to maintain concerning 'them tho silence of. the' Sphinx, though.ho manages to talk/with charming, grace and ease, about plenty of' : other■ topics •of ■ -only' comparative ! interest at • present. . Mr. Reid, who, having oeased'to be the leader of a party, is regarded just \ now.',- as ' one '.of the spectators ■ of tho, game; has put seven questions to, Mr. Deakin, the aiiswers to which would .exactly .determine thei place 'occupied 'by tho'; ex-Prime Minister.' '. Bat, until ;'somo indication is really given which would cnablo Us to decide, on which sido, Mr. Deakin, will disposo his small,' .but.useful; party, it.is id]e to speculate on the political outlook. For that indication we may have to wait until the meeting of Parliament, which cannot bo very much longer delayed; , . :'■ ■■'. ~'"'■ : \" ' ■"/ -.•-■ '' i .-•■ ■■: Political .''Shop'! , at NomPolitical Cathorings. .. '_Lord Dudley, , the has' given the politicians of this Common those'pf: them who. insist upon talking "shop"' at non-political gatherings—a very wholesome lesson.', The occasion the luncheon , on tho opening day of the Royal Agricultural Show at Moore. Park, surely no place'for politicalspeeches..; Yet some of tho'speakers, Tvith, very /doubtful. tasteyin: view of. the fact! • that the Federal Ministers are the advisers of .the , Governor-General—took upon themselves to in disdainful'.terms to the Cabinet, though -none of its ' members were present. Of course,' the Dreadnought proposal,' about which everybody is talking ust now; could: not ; escapo mention, and' this led to spme speaking in a tone'of thihlyveilod hostility, regarding the-attitude, of- Mr. Wisher on the' question. To coniplote ' the ;hing, Mr. AVade, the Premier of Now South Wales, in: acknowledging the toast 'of the State lUimstry tod Parliament, got.up And talked a /modest half-column about State rights, a fine inspiriting subject-for' a show luheheonl. No. wonder tho. Governor-General got; -tiredl . In proposing tbo health of tho p v e j! at tlle end of tlle luncheon, Lord Dudley took, tho .opportunity to protest against this .sort of thing. Politics, he pointed;out, should not bo discussed in his wesence at 'public gatherings;. this was >" a t H ne r» ol |? 1 u r«i ;,: principle; and ohethat: he should like to see maintained. To'depart from; that principle placed him in a very difficult position when allusions were made to the Commonwealth Government for the members of-that Government were his advisers, and if the government of this country-was to-bo properly'conducted, it was a great. essential ;hat complete confidence and loyalty should bo maintained between the Governor-General and his advisers. ;As he Ministers to be loyal to him,: so-he hoped always to remain loyal to them.' Ho did not'care about, and was not concerned in; politics; it i iS matter to him who was in iwwer, whether. Liberals, or Labour; or any other section; but he intended to be loyal to his advisers, as he €xpected them to.bo loyal to ■H™j Cl l n A ud^ ,g ' h ?, said he wished to make it, clear that,he could only sit at gatherings where tho rule of- avoiding references -to federal or htate politics was observed Strange to say, at last year's luncheon there was plenty said concerning Federal politics in thG, presence of Lord Northcote, but he made.no sign of being restivo about it. All the same, ;tho hint given ; by Lord Dudlev comes m, good time, and it is. to bo hoped that will bo taken to heart by several estimable men who need a little advice of this .description... .... .--. . ... A Clrl Shoots Her Father. , Av distressing tragedy "occurred this; week at aplaco called Marongo, down in , the southwest,/about twelvo miles from Young. A selector, Henry C. Salom, and his wile had a quarrel about somo medicino which he wished' her te take, his wifo, who was washing the dishes with her. daughter, Esther May,'replying that she did not want to take it jusV then. Ho persisted, but she still refused, and walked out of the kitchen followed by her husbaud, who threatened her saying:."l'll mako you tako it. If you don't! I'll kill yoii." A few, moments later, the girl heard her mother screaming, "Help. Esther help!" Esther, running to her bedroom! seized a .revolver, and returned .to, hei motbor's assistance. Seeing that her fathei had her mother by the'throat, she fired th< revolver at him. iHo died while being convoyed to Young. He had three bullet wound: ; m the temple, and three in tlie chest anc abdomen. Tho girl, who is 15 years of ago was charged with haying wilfully and "feloniously skin her father; but at the inquiry tw< days after, the Coroner returned a verdict-o: justifiable homicide, arid tho police have UOM withdrawn from further proceeding