AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 840, 11 June 1910, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS,

The Premier of New South Wales spokfc on Friday last of Mr. Fisher's remarks of the previous day regarding the revenue returned to the States by the Commonwealth during the- current financial year. Mr. Fisher had said that the probable revenue of the Commonwealth for the year would he .£11,505,000. and that the amount to be paid to. the States would be .£8,418,750, which was .£5.10,000 in excess of the sum the Federal Treasurer, in his Budget speech of August 12, 1900, estimated would be available for return. And as the State Treasurers at their recent conference agreed to accept 4000,000 less than they were entitled to receive under the Braddon clause, they would probably receive, said Mr. Fisher, JjJ, 130,000 more than they had expected. "The States undertook, as part of tho .agreement last year, to contribute to the . extent of .£OOO,OOO in the event of the revenue showing a shortage to that extent," said Mr. Wade, "but in the event of there being no shortage there was to be no liability. Mr. Deakin undertook to provide for XOOO.QOO, the other half of the deficit which was then contemplated, probably by the issue of bonds. Therefore the total liability that the States might incur in respect of this year's deficit was .£OOO,OOO. But it was felt by all tho State Treasurers that the diatoms revenue, would largely increase, and that this deficit would not bo found to exist on June 30. These -expectations have been borne out by the actual growth of the revenue during the last 11 months. The real position -was that there was ■ a possible liability of £600,000, but a strong probability that there would be no liability at all when the financial year ended/' NOT THE RIGHT SORT. "Our immigration policy," said the Rev, F. B. Cowling in the course of an address at 13ondi Junction, Sydney, last week, "is very inferior to' and far behind that of either Canada, the United States, Argentine, or New Zealand.. All the efforts put forward on behalf of Australia, appear to be to get the penniless; and untrained immigrant, while those other countries make a point of attracting men with money and the better class of tradesmen." Mr. Cowling, who was speaking from personal knowledge, went on to say that the system of relying upon agents, -as adopted by Australia, and New South Wales particularly, was unsound, and it remained with the Governments to take steps to enlighten (he people at Home with regard to the' true ' state of life in Australia. "No one tells intending immigrants anything in a . systematic way," complained the lecturer. "The only thing the agents do is to sit in their offices and advertise that anyone can ( see them about Australia, and when the intending immigrants make a call they are simply induced to come to the country without, having a proper knowledge of it." The other countries tako the trouble to make their special' attractions known, "and even Rhodesia in its appeal to the immigrant is mere . satisfactory than Australia.." .Mr. Cowling was emphatic in his declaration that' New South Wales would have to employ "better methods at Home before they could attract the' proper class of immigrant. ABORIGINE GIRLS. The Bishop of North Queensland states that an attempt is being made to force the half-caste girls at Yarraban-mission station to leave and become domestic servants. lie says the policy of the Protector of Aborigines is to send unmarried aboriginal or half-caste girls into service under what is considered sufficient supervision. " The Bishop deprecates this policy, on the ground that the girls are more open to the attacks.of unprincipled men than wliite girls, and that:, in. ; . the mission they are happy and safe from importunity. There "are 25-!marr.iageable .girls-! in the station, and 27 men of marriageable age, and he asks are the young men to be : condemned to celibacy by the girls being sent away, or arc the-men to be forced back lo camp life un the mainland, with occasional employment. He advocates that the half-castes and aborigines should wherever possible be placed uncle? the operation of the Registration Act, as at present they are born, married, and buried with no more rights than dogs.—"Sydney Morning Herald." AN EPICUREAN. APE. , There is at present at the Sydney Zoological Gardens (says the "Sydney Morning Herald") a monkey which claims as much consideration as a sickly human of high degree.' Its food is scientifically, prepared, whilst its quarters are heated - so as to ward off'the chills of winter. The specimen is a young orang from Borneo, belonging to the larger and '■' fiercer variety of this species, and should, when fully developed, exceed 4ft. in height. Experiments to acclimatise this ape have very • often failed, owing to ■ its predisposition to pulmonary troubles, and several specimens have succumbed after a few months' captivity, notwithstanding every care. The menu of this new arrival includes peptonized nniK, cod-liver oil emulsion, malt extract, Benger's food, beef extract, and an occasional rice pudding, cooked in orthodox style. Strangely enough, the baby oranff takes the cod liver oil with much relish. If Mr. Le Souef (curator) .succeeds in rearing the orang, the 1 Sydney gardens will have the somewhat unique experience of possessing with the chimpanzee, two of the higher apes at the one time. It. is also interesting to note that one of the big snakes has suddenly developed a fastidious tendency in regard to its food. The serpent in question is about 20ft. long, and "up to a little while back accepted a miscellaneous assortment of live food without demur. For some time ; it subsisted on white rabbits, but when these rah out, it refused to return to crdiuarv rabbits, rats, pigeons, etc. As, however, it can fast for twelve months or so without much inconvenience to itself the authorities will have a little time in which to look around for a supply of -white rabbits. FEDERALISING TRADE. Mi. Arthur "Devlin, an executive officer of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Boot Trade Employees' Federation, speaking at Alexandria, N.S.W., al- . hided to the attempt that is being made to iwleralise the manufacturing industry through the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. .He said that sine? Mr. Wadv had begun to interfere in trade matters his attitude had been inconsistent in the extreme, lie first recommended one course of action, ami then a few months afterwards ail vised somethin;,'- totally different. The opinion of the Premier lacked stability, and would be dangerous lo follow. II first blew in cue direction and then in another, seeking a temporary anchorage in whatever harbour the employing interest found a refuge from the Bothering storms of industrial unrest. The claims of the men, so far as the boot trade was concerned, were just and fair; there was nothing extortionate or extravagant about thorn, but the union had now to fight not only tho manufacturers directly concerned in the trouble, but the combined body of' emplovers, united in federations to oppose the" improvement of working conditions. He trusted the victory would lie with the men. Sometime ago Mr. Wade held the opinion that the boot dispute should be settled in the Federal Court, but now the award hud been made, perhaps not exactly in tiie terms of his wishes, it proved,distasteful to the employers, and, oi course, Mr. Wade, to be consistent in his inconsistency, immediately turned round ar>d solemnly alarmed that .the case was not one for Federal jurisdiction. He was consequently n.-iug the influence and power of the Stale Government to block the claims of the men receiving constitutional sanction. The men were dissatisfied, and a good deal of annoyance was felt at the arbitrary attitude of tho State Government, but the determination was to recognise the terms of the award. No appeal had been made to other unions for funds, but promises of financial assistance for the coming fight had been received from a number of trades-bodies. The men hoped that at the State election to return to Parliament representatives "who will sw that thev.get a fair deal."-