AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 568, 24 July 1909, Page 14

AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

WRECK OP TECS ERROL. Sydnoyi July 18. >. Ho terrible story told by the survivors of : the Errol wrock has been the chief topio of the week. ! . ■ y - There is a strong feeling in local shipping circles that the Government should do something in: regard to' stocking Middleton Reef ■with provisions and a lifeboat. As long ago .v as 1870 Captain Banks, a well-known resi- ' : dont'of Sydney, placed a boat, with-pro-visions, thore. It was placed there under the : v'patronage of the'lmperial Government, and every six months it-was visited by a warship. When it had been there six years its moorings wero renewed. ' Then Captain Banks tried tc induce tho local Government to take . her over, but/he says, ,"they put me off wiih an oscuso that , such a proceeding might : ; offend vthe Homo Government." Captain 1 Banks added that in 18S2 tho Thetus was • ■ aont down to inspect, but could not get into .-. >:the lagoon wliore the boat was moored. Eight • or ten. months later, whenlan inspection was made, the boat was gone. She had sunk at 1 - • her ; moorings.: lie veteran captain is of the - opinion that provision depots should bo es- ' tablished on the reef. . As considerable surpriso has been oppressed in various quarters that the castaways from . , the 'wrecked barquo Errol were unable to find any food on tho wreck of tho Annasona, which is piled high and dry on Middleton Reef, Captain . Christensen, who visited the . ieef- recently; was interviewed on tho sub- 1 •ject here.. : . -• • ■; Askecl ihow ho found the food supply ooi •' .board the Annasona when he was tliero.two : - :montbs-'ago,- the: captain said:r—"There was : none. When I bought her, I bought the provisions along 'with her, and after my .' . first trip T left.two;.barrels of ]beef down . * there. -There -were also some biscuits in a : ' tank, but-.they weren't fit for. a dog. -.'. I : :. . don't think evei/a rat would tako them." , Who do you think it was- took ' the - beef • then, captain? • '. •, "I-will explain'the whole thing to you. - You see, I got an idea into ray nead that thero was • .becho-de-mer ■ down, there, and ■r o Went down l in. a: small.• boat, ylt was there all . right, plenty of it. So back I conies, . and ; . builds this -boat. > wo' came back to Sydney,. it leaked out from my boys-.that . . thero.wore .ten-tons of down ".' there. Well, some of tho Queensland men, heard of it, and went off. and -got' it while I was building my boat." '-. ... t Was it ail gone, when you got there;' then?: ... . "Every bit of it," and the beef, too." ...: Captain ' Christensen stated- that: tljo -wrecked Annasona was about five or six miles away from: the spot the. Errol struck. : v;.:: ~c'lf the reef is only covered at ■ higliMvater, , they-have walked across, captain?-' ~ ■ V. "They might have,been able to do so, but v - they would have to: be careful,- the sharks m-: 1 simply swarm down there, and they' will rush ■ you in Bft. of water. The.inner.part.of the : reef consists of- a'lot of holes, at low- water, . and -you can go from- one to the.other, if yon . know, the run of the ropes; but, poor beggars, 1 - tboy didnH. l It was in one of these holes that ' I' had my raft moored, butit.was stolon, too." - ;

' SYDNEY UNEMPLOYED, , , , : A deputation, from the unemployed waited ion the • Premier of Now South Wales on Thursday, July 17. • Mr. Tooth' who announced himself as '-.- chairman' of . .the committee of the unein- ; ! ployed,; said:—"Mr. Wade,' I come to ask you if -I have 'the .right; to work. ; If -..50,- L demand work. I have a wife and children ■ < who are on the; verge of starvation:,■.■ ■ There are 500 unemployed , .outsido (there were '. ; '->aboat v '6o' in the street) who .also are: pretty ' well starved. Like myself, my. two' comrades here demand work, and would like to go to it if you can put it in front of them. You will find that are all v honest, hard-working menj-. who need work.' to support :theirvfamilies -and themselves. Of ooterso, if there, is no .work I can tell you-i-stmiglit we can't get it by fair

means we will have to get it by foul. No 'man is going to stand by ;in these days and soe his little ones, starve. ,

The Premier: , Remember what you are saving, my young friend; ■ You will be well advised to woigh your words more carefully...'. ._ ■,':// Mr. Tooth: It is only work we want. ' Tho Premier: If , you talk about breaking the law in that way you will get yourself into trouble. Threats have ;no effoct whatever on me.

After the other delegates had demanded work, the Premier said no man in this State need actually starve. The labour bureau was instituted to lend aid, and would assist a man with his railway fare. But with regard to the present agitation, the so-called leaders appeared to have devoted themselves chiefly' to inflaming the-minds of the men against the Government, and abusing him (Mr. Wade), with tho' idea that they were to frighten 'the Government into complying with their wishes. "If you think you aro going to do that by - such means, you have chosen the wrong Government," said the Premier.; "As far as you aro entitled to justioo you will have it. If you have not a good cause, threatening'won't help you. I advise you for your own sakes to use more .modorato language, and not to put yourselves into a position' which you will perhaps .be sorry for by and by." Referring to :tho caso of Williams, one of the deputation, tho Promier said he had been offered work-.at Wvalong and a railway pass to go there.- V Mr. Williams: It is a lie.

fho Premier said he .was.'repeating the report. He could go there now and'get it.,.' Mr. Williams: I won't take it. -.-

. Tho Premier: There yotraro.: You decline the opportunity of : bettering-. yourself. If you won't take it, let" those following you know thero is work to bo got. Mr. Warner: You have made out a very woak case for tho Government'. .T Under-: stand you don't want to find employment for any of us. . .. . '•

The Premier: I don't "want-any abuse. You have put your caso and I have given my reply. , . A, crowd: of about -50 mon afterwards marched to- Parliament House,- and then to tbo Queen's Statue, where.speeches were delivered. -

MAORI FOOTBALLERS, ■ The Maoris, to play a series of . matches in Australia, arrived by the steamer Wimmera from ; Auckland, and -were nlet at the Jwharf -hy- a number: o| -Rugby-League, officials. , A ■forinal'.receptioii,;-was givenfo the team iu. the vestibule of the Town .'.Hall in the afternoon.-'Alderman: O'Sullivan, M.L.A., president of the.Rugby football Loague, :occupied the chair, and-there was a large attendance of tie general'ptiblic. : y : ..

- The- prosidcnt >. said they "had: met to give. a welcome to .Miggie,;the Maori guide,-and her :.Bisttr,' • as'■ well' as! to; the' '"Maori ■ footballers. Tho Maoris- were. and .'warlike race, and ..had'.distinguished '.thoihselves in the .past: against the very best British soldiers that could b6 brought'''against : ',tl)em. Thoy .wero therefore proud of thfiMaoris as fellow-' citiicins.of-the Empire.': He referred to the fact that Mr. Carroll was now Acting-Prime Minister of, his native country, as an evidence of what the race were capable of intellectually, and said;, they were glad: to offer the team the: heartiest of welcomes to Sydney. -With regard to tho coming 1 matches, ho was authorised' to state .'thafcia; firm had given a.handsome silver cup as a prize to 'the winners'of throe out of /the. five 'games, and two gold modals—one for tho best all"round player: in each team—were also to be .presented,. 'He ,was certain the .league game had ;cbme;.to .stay,;'; and they would be, deI'lightedf to . see the .Maoris• - making a close i finish,.of: it -with the local men. Ho con,cluded,.;by. ;hoping'-the : : yisitorsVwould' have-a good time in Sydney. . . i; e Mc. Baume; 'M.P. for Auckland 'East, espressed/the great. amount of pleasure he and -He)*.''' Zealand; felt at the : the;'recepci6niaccbrded> > them. New ■Zcalanders wore proud of tho Maori-race, who were : now distinguishing '.themselves, in "the, arts of peacb _a 3' , they had formerly done in their;.wars 'with the ' Two Maoris, one a Bachelor-of . Laws, and the other a Doctor , of - were .'members of the

New Zoaland Parliament, and in many other walks of life they were occupying prominent positions. If the Maoris won tho rubber, ho. could assure them it would be by good football and honest play. ' Ringing cheerß wcto, on the coll', of tho ohairman, given for the visitors. Maggie, the Maori guide, speaking in purest English, made a pretty little speech acknowledging the. great welcome given to them ; and other addresses were given by two Maori chiefs accompaning their team, Mr. Helal, the manager, arid Mr. Barclay. Cheers for. the King and the Maoris brought the function to a termination. ' ARCHDEACON NASA'S CASE. Important, developments are . now- probable in connection with tho long-standing dispute tween Archbishop Clarke and tho supporters of Archdeacon 1 , C. H. - Nash, at •. Christ Church, Goelong. The congregation at Christ Church has become disorganised in consequence of the unsatisfactory position, and it is understood that a determined effort is to bo made to bring about a settlement. Supporters of the present incumbent (the Rev. •F. W. R. Newton) find themselves hampered by the opposition in the congregation, and they, havo made representations to Archbishop Clarke strongly urging upon him the necessity of making public the whole of the facts. relating to the Nash case. Additional interest is lent to the present position by the proposed .appointment of_ Archdeacon. Nash as of the diocese of Gippsland during the absence of Bishop Pain. At the time of the appointment of the. Rev. C. H.Nash .to'the Archdeaconry of Sale, Archbishop Clarko protested to Bishop Pain that , the, latter's action in ratifying the appointmentiwas equal t-o'a pußlic criticism of his (the Archbishop's) previous attitude in regard, to Mr.-Nash. Now as tho metropolitan •of the Victorian Anglican province • Archbishop Clarko will in some matters. affecting the administration'' of the Gippsland diocese' of Necessity be compelled to Confer with Arch-" deacon Nash. ...

WORLD'S COMMERCE. The seventh congress of the Chambers of Commerce of the World begins at Sydney on September 14.. The delegates from the' various parts of the world number 110, and as many of. 'them aro accompaniedby-' their wives and'families, the party will bo a. considerable oue. No opportunity is 'to- bo lost to' givo; the visitors every opportunity ■' of viewifag ihe country from all aspects—corainercially, .' socially,' and intellectually—and .very cbmpleto aVrangements' have/been.made at the various centres of the States in the Commonwealth. The, distinguished.' visitors .will arrive , in Brisbane on September 5, and will, remain in Queensland for .-ten Mays,visiting.'the various picturesque spots,.: the. agricultural and pastoral : districts, gold mines, and large commercial.-. industries. .Then the, visitors will spend;.'a fortnight in Sydney, and social functions, will be sandwiched in between the business, programme. On arrival,in Melbourne on' September 27, the delegates , will be received at Spencer Street station by the council of the Chamber of Commerce, and escorted to. the Town Hall,, where tho Lord-Mayor Will hold , a reception. Theatre parties, balls, visits; to vaiious-parts'of-the, State, 'lawn parties, banquets, and igarden- parties form the programme; for the .remainder of their Btay in Victoria. The business to he dealt with is voluminous and covers a wide range t of> 1 subjects. Imperial, preferential trade is. the keynote of many of . the resolutions'' tabled, whilst tional'and naval defence, reduced . rates, for parcels postage, taxation of commercial travellers, .immigration, and the establishment-of a universal system of' weights, and measures and currency form a considerable part of the A motion from tho London Chamber urges tho recognition of. arbitration awards botween contracting parties ■ within or with-, out the British Empire .wherever it should bo necessary to enforce it, .and that Home and foreign - Governments should .be.-approached to ascortain their willingness to be , parties to such a convention. A-South African; motion protests'against the standard wheat bag recently adopted ;in -Australia, and asks for ian amendment of the present Jaw. An Adelaide resolution deals with the perennial, bill

of lading grievance, ind complains of unreasonable stipulations of ship owners, which it is said deprives shippers and consignees of just and equitable protection; -This, of course, ■ refers to tho "act of God" clause. A. Melbourne resolution is of a revolutionary chairactor, -and advocates the provision of a Stateowned electric communication across Canada to Groat. Britain. The Sydney Chamber proposes that a system of Federal .quarantine, to be inaugurated by tho Government of the Commonwealth; be established' on modern sciontifio lines, and that the .expenses' incurred ;by.placing a vessel in quarantine be borne, proportionately by tho State imposing* the quarantine,' the passengers - quarantined, and the ship owner. The abolition of' the draft allowance,of lllj. per 'cwt. on wool is advocated. The franking of Commonwealth newspapers to. any address in the United ■Kingdom, with' a view to encouraging: emigration, is put forward by a Sydney member. The concluding item on the, business i paper is a resolution to bo moved by Senator Pnlsford: "That there is no basis like that of freedom on w'hioh to rest and maintain: the commerce of the British Empire."