AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1359, 9 February 1912, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

* DEMOCRACY IN DISARRAY. Sydney, h'ebruary -. Discussing the sii-ilie in Brisbane in i<s leading columns, (lie Melbourne "Argus remarks:—"The serious news train Brisbane ill' disorder and lighting >» l '"f streets is, unhappily, mil imexpecled, and may in large measure be attributed tu the lack 01 firmness and determination shown by tho. Government. In a democratic community, where government rests upon the will of a majority of adults, it is a fundamental principle that all must obey the law anil seek redress ( >t' grievances by legal means. Unless that be insisled on democracy is a failure. It is I lie duty of every citizen to assert the rule of order and to do what he can io support it; but pre-eminently this is the duty of the Government. Vet the Queensland Government seems lo be paltering with Uie very serious crisis which has been created by the general strike. The law is openly flouted, the liberty of citizens is violated, persons arc prevented from following' their lawful avocations, and in the midst of the chaos Ministers of the Crown are meekly endeavouring to ljring about a conference or to arrange a compromise." Leaving the subject, the "Argus" remarks that Brisbane is, in fact, being reduced by v -internal enemies to a state of siege, and if possible it will be compelled to capitulate. "There never was such a barefaced challenge delivered to the law of the land. You must submit to our government, not to the Government of your own country, is the ultimatum of the Socialist bosses; we will not permit you to buy nor to sell; you will be prevented from \vorking; the sick shall go nntended, tho women and children must starve. No wonder the whole of Australia stands expectant, wondering if a free people will submit to such tyranny."

THE DESTROYER WARREGO. The report of a committee, which was asked to investigate certain matters in connection with the construction of the destroyer YVarrego, at the Pitzroy Dock, was made available nn Thursday last, 'the committee does not hold the superintendent, Mr. A. E. Cutler, responsible for the delay in launching this vessel in the Commonwealth, as the authoiitics had declined to permit him to work more than one shift. The board confirmed the allegations that certain rivets had been omitted, ami that such defect had escaped the notice both of the dockyards authorities and the Commonwealth inspectors. Such defect, however, had been remedied as soon as attention had been drawn to it. The committee did not agree with the statement that the defect would have endangered the safety of the vessel. Tho omission was due in part to the detail drawings having been kept locked up, and not made available for comparison with sutlicient frequency, and also in part to tho omission of the British builders to drill some of the holes in the positions where the rivets should have been placed. Tho committee generally considered that the work has been very successfully carried out. Official and steam trials of the vessel will be made next month. AN ETERNAL PROI3LEM. "Housewives and factory managers" (says tho "Argus") "have of late been waging an interesting' combat over tho services of the domestic servants who are being imported from England by the Government. These girls and young women have, of course, been brought out solely with the object of meeting tho great demand for domestic servants .in Victoria. Some manufacturers, or their agents, however, driven to desperate measures by the dearth of women operatives in the State, have been meeting these girls on their arrival in Melbourne with tempting offers of high wages for any who will abandon housework and enter their factories. The glamour of these high rates of pay has proved irresistible in so many cases (hat the State lutelligsncc Bureau, which controls the importation of the girls, has had to throw all its influence on tho side of the housewives, and use every effort to make the girls go into domestic service, in accordance with the arrangements inado for them. .As a precaution for the future, the State agent in London (Mr. M'Leod) has been instructed to require all domestics coming to Victoria on immigrants' tickets to sign guarantees that they will enter service on their arrival in Melbourne." UNWELCOME PASSENGERS. It happens not infrequently on Hie Victorian Railways tbat a goods truck is selected by a swarm of boos for hiving purposes. The detentions at wnysido stations afford ample time for them to take up their abode. There is a story current that a swarm once fixed on a truck loaded with goods for prompt dispatch to the city, and that, when it arrived in tho ordinary course, a demand was made by the Department for the amount of freight charges on quite a respectable quantity of honey in comb. The Department does not admit the accuracy of the narrative. Last year a swarm from a truck was successfully captured in the Spencer Street gooifs sheds, and kept in a covered box. After a great deal of persuasion a customer of the Department was induced to take tho bees, and started olf home with them. Unfortunately ho dropped the box on the way, and the bees declined to accompany him further; nor, after a few stings, was he particularly anxious that they should. On Monday" Inst a truck of chaff was dispatched from Monomeith Station for the city, and a swarm of bees accompanied it. Tho station staff was rather inclined to dispute their right to travel free, but the bees insisted, and opposition was eventually withdrawn. I'V several stations along tho route they announced their presence to the stall's, and finally word was passed along the line that they were coming. They were expected in Melbourne on Tuesday, but they did not arrive. Apparently they experienced tho ordinary discomforts of the railway passenger in the country, and, more fortunate thau lie, they were able to fly.

UNIFORMITY IN FOOD LAWS. British exporters trading with Australia have complained once more through the High Commissioner, and this time strongly, that the variegated condition of the States' miro food laws makes trade in foodstuffs almost impossible. Under State laws food has to be marked differently in every State, so that unless exporters have a distributing centre in one State aiid there prepare the trade descriptions of goods for other Stales they have to mark their manufactures differently for each State in the Commonwealth. The ActingMinister for Customs, Senator Findley, is addressing letters to State Governments, urging tho necessity of uniformity in food laws. This the States aro attempting to effect, having appointed Dr. Ashburtou Thompson a Royal Commission to prepare recommendations.