AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1011, 29 December 1910, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

GOVERNMENT AS SHOPKEEPER,... Sydney,-December 24, A Government hotel, brickworks, cottages for 'workers, ■a' hospital,' and "a general store, including a .butchery, a bakery, anil a financial attachment that will encourage thrift among "the employees,. bo useful for general purposes, and act as a credit instrument of exchange," are included in the list of preliminary works to . be undertaken in connection with, the establishment of Australia's Federal capital, at Yass-Canberrn. -The-slim of Jt'ls,ooo was voted by the Federal Parliament last session, and the Minister for Home- Affairs' (Mr. O'Malley) has since formulated; 'tlie first schedule - of capital sits works. This schedule has jlttt, been approved by the-Federal Cabinet. ' Mr.; O'Malley stated that the ■£45,000 was available for expenditure in the 1910-11 financial year, but the 1 whole of' it would not be expended before the end of next-'June... . It: was proposed to begin as soon as possible after' the NewYear with the works which had. been authorised., There is'much speculation as regards. what ,Mr. O'Malley. called the '.'financial attachment," which would encourage thrift among-the employees at the capital. - When a 'reporter asked what he meant by. it, the Minister's reply was brief. • "Air I. am prepared to' say on that question at the present time," .lie said,' "is that it is to be a monumental financial- cquilibrator.".'.'

lIOBART AWAKE. , / . Public men. at Hobart. are interesting themselves in a proposal to make that port the terminal one for Australian oversea trade carried by huge steamers, 'iho idea' described .in an article published by the Sydney "Daily is that tho day .of , the huge liner is coming to the-Australian trade as it ; has done to that of the Atlantic, in which tho great Olympic, 45,000 tons and 900 ft. long, will by comparison make the mammoth greyhound Cunarders look small. Hobart, it is claimed, is ideally the port-of tlio .Commonwealth for accommodating: these ships, with its big,; deep-channel-and its 60. to 72 feet of water'-'up to within half a mile of the harbour shore. : Such lin-ers,-it is stated, could scarcely be received under present conditions in any mainland, port, owing- to. their great draught, as well, as to. the probable difficulty of berthing them conveniently. •. It is proposed to provide wharfage at Hobart for vessels drawing up to 40 feet, at an expenditure , -which is enviably small in comparison with ..such an , advantage. There, it :is .hoped,, tho - by way-of the Capo, owing-to the impossibility of- getting: thenv through : , the' Suez, Canal—would arrive from' and-depart for London; their cargoes and mail's being transhipped to; the mainland \ports. .The .-"Telegraph" considers that, ; as a present proposition, . the scheme is, hardly - within tho range of, cconomy, but admits that time may place' it in a more favourable light.

'■■■. ■ searching; the BEEFS. " The schoonor. Noma (Captain. J. F6rrest), .which arrived in Sydney'on-Thurs-day from a cruise among the'; reefs off the Queensland;coast,:loft'-Newcastle 011 October; 8, "arid had :been ..cruising ever since, though speaking only; one ship. "Hbr search-among the',reefs {proved both .interesting and- remunerative.; Old wrecks, besides affording .themes ; for'. romance, have, often, a pecuniary value as well.. The Norria.nrriyed'.dojvn, to 'her Plimsoll .with, gear salved' from all.along tho reefs, and worth much.. On. many; of the' 'reafs 'pafHcularly 'Melluish reef— tho,sea. birds l ;were iri-'millions—so"' thick,• that, it was impossible 'to avoid crushing them. 1 Turtles were' found! and the crew thus had fresh., meat during thei.'wiiole voyage. .Two, of these,huge reptiles .were brought in tow to Sydney. The only bad weather encountered 'during tho' voyage was met oft' Port Stephens, when "the Noma was driven 100 mite up the coast;

WAR ATA II OR WATTLE? The Minister for Homo Affairs (Sir. O'Malley, is, daily bombarded with let,; ters dealing. with . all ..sorts of - nati-oiiffl-questions.:.Every day brings him a,shoal' of, correspondence on : the BubjectJi of a liamo for the .new capital. - But his'mail on AVednesday contained abetter on a different subject,- that of the' national Mower emblem of Australia. It was."from Mrs.. Christie Campbell, of Yarraliimla, which is in tho federal'capital area. The writer, ,iu a lengthy' note, appeals ,to' tho Minister to- support tho-cltvims o! -tho waratah as the.i.national flower of • Australia: against, those, of the 'wattle., .Mrs. Campbell .able- manner, poiiits out what .she'regards as, the disabilities or the little- yellow blossom as compared with, the waratah. : The - waratah is a beautiful; flower, 1 she says; :it' holds its handsome, head; erect, its.babk is' strone and straight, and it looks tho whole world fearlessly, m. thi. .ace. .The-.Minister; in his reply,, told ~:Mrs. Campbell that' ho would .bring tho matter before tho Cabinet at its next meeting, and i'concliided. bv saying: If..tho: L waratah, isi.all that 'you claim for it,, it..; certainly , Isliould, be an emblem of <power and strength/' • • •