AUSTRALIAN NEWS BY MAIL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 20, 18 October 1919, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN NEWS BY MAIL

THE FEDERAL REFERENDUM

LIVING WAGE IN NEW SOUTH WALES FEDERAL LABOUR'S WHITE HOPE Sydney, October 12. Tho Referendum Proposals. Tho general view ill New South Wales , State political, circles (says the "Daily Telegraph") is that Mr. Hughes will prejudice the solidarity of the Nationalist forces throughout tho Commonwealth- if ho should submit to the people proposed constitutional amendments with which the responsible leaders of the States strongly disagree. The Prime Minister, it is pointed out, 'would naturally expect the support of Nationalist State Premiers at. the elections, but ho would place them in an awkward position if, while asking them for .backing on hi? general policy, lie were to align th'eni against him by sseking endorsement of unacceptable, constitutional proposals. The eifect would be to .cause tiiem to support him and oppose him at the same time, with results not. at all helpful to his party's, prospects of success at the polls. .Mr. Dolman's atti- • tude towards the transference of power.? to the Commonwealth is well known, lie is prepared to go a certain distance, and no farther.' On the occasion of the 1913 referendum, when proposals similar to those now made were submitted, lie refused to obey the dictates of tho Labour movement, and speak in support of. the.'suggested amendments. He did not go so far. however, a?; to come out in, active opposition, but it is not likely that,-lie would reriiain silent' under exist-, ing circumstances. During the last live' 1 or six years hianv'things have occurred to cause iliim to stiffen against any substantial enlargement of Federal powers, hnd it may bo taken for granted that in the event of Mr. Hughes going too far for him he would take every opportunity to urge the people'to resist what lie considers an undue inroad upon State functions. Commonwealth Cottages Criticised. .Serious reflections have been made on the designs'for citizens' ihonios prepared under the Federal housing scheme, but these have not been allowed to pass unchallenged. At a meeting of the Federal Council of tho Australasian Institutes of Architects the president (Mr. H. W. Tomkins, of Victoria.) declared that the book of designs issued by the Conimqn-ti-ealtte Bank to tho municipal-repatria-tion committees throughout Victoria, would be a disgrace to the worst type of 'unskilled practitioner of 30 years ago. "I am of opinion,"/said Mr; •' Tompkins; "that drastic action should be taken to 'protect our men to whom we owe' so much from being saddled with ex'pensivo arid inconvenient and unsuitable homes. The matter can scarcely reflect any credit on the administration of the Commonwealth Bank." The council accepted these strictures as well founded, and decided to urgo the bank "to produco 'something better." The designs .referred to wero prepared by Messrs. ,1. and IT. G., Kirkpatrick, whoso architectural achievements include tho designing of tho Commonwealth Bank and dozens of other important works. They have nothing to say on the subject, but the governor-of the bauk (Mr. Dcnison Miller), replying to Mr. Tompkins, says:— "We are endeavouring to. home the soldier. in a homo that.is cheaply, but well built, of good materials, and, with every modern convenience it is possible to put into a home where the amount to be snnnt is limited. This, book was only got out to lot soldiers know how to'go alxiut pelting a home. Therg are .hundreds of other designs, any of which may bn chosen. - Wo have to work .within the Act. and 4he - most that, can bo advanced Js, $700,,.which often hai} to piH'chase. the bind iis .well 'rip build- the'house. .-The cottages 'are''of brick" with tile' or slate roof. The first has been completed at Canterbury ■ at. -a cost, of ,£SOO. It' was built in five weeks, and if, contains three rooms, kitchen, and offices. It is a'plain house, but is fitted with electric light, 'and water is laid on. The soldier has 37 years to pay for it. at' .the rale of £2 !)s.- 7d. a month.' To atand 37 years it must bo substantially built." ' ■ Living Wage'in New South, Wales. The New South ' Wales' "Aluiistet' for Labour and Industry, introducing the 'Government's iSili to meat the award of the Board of 'trade lixing the. living wage at ,£3 17s. Gd., and by which it is proposed to reduce tho estimated.' extra 'cosif oi £l-},OCu,(KiO to industries to i£6,5t)0,000, said that the living wage in the otnor States was so much below that of New South Wales that trade -would be diverted to the- other States. In Victoria, for instance, the basic-wages of bedstead-makers was.s6s. a week,-and in, New South Wales GOs. (id. - Boot salesmen' .in . Victoria-had a, basic lfage ot 485,, and'in New- South- Wales (iOs.-j- card- ; wam-oox ( makers in Victoria, received. • only 2s. Gd. less than in. Now .South Wales; in chemists'.shops.the .difference', was ius. .a week. Tiiy' Minister illus-. trated the expected effect of..the.new' basic wage on . industry in.- New Sohth'. Hales. The prosperity, of the city of Newcastle had been groatly enhanced by tho large amount of employment provided by tho steel works. The new basic wage -would affect the steel works to such an extent that it might even lead, to their closing dojvn. It might also prevent the'establishment there of a largo new industry in nail-ihaking; The s'teej WiVks had- had to carry ,an additional burden duriiig tho past'year of for tileincreased cost of coal, and another .£55,000 for he increased wages arising from a Wages Board award. The new basic wage would mean to tho steel works a further additional £152,G00 a,year. A 6 the steel, works was in competition for a large amount .of its trade with outside tho effect Svould.be very serious. Tho Australian Nail Works, now .established. in Victoria, .was contemplating storting iii' Newcastle, but'would not do no ii .uiu new basic wage went on." The .question for the -Government was 'how to meet: the new basic wage. . At present the basic wage for a man, his wife, and two children. The Government had decided to 6end back the inquiry to the board to find out what should be paid lor a man and nis wile only. A "single jnan would, in any' case, be receiving rather more than enough for his own support; he would be able to savo some-, thing- towards getting married. . The percentage of unmarried men to married was about W. The unmarried leceived moro than a living wage; and men with a wife, and more than two children received less than a living wage. At' present the percentage uf children'to men working was 1.8. Hope of Federal Labour Party. Mr. T. J. liyan, Labour Premieri of Queensland, is tho Federal. .Labour Party's ."white liope" in Federal politics of the future. Ho lias resigned a seat in the Queensland, Slate Legislature as a preliminary to his candidature for the Federal, House, but ia the.meantime is retaining the Stale Premiership. There is a very, definite oninion in Labour political circles in Sydney, says Ihe "Daily Telegraph" that .Mr. ,I'yan, instead of standing for a safe seat like West Sydney at the forthcoming general elections., should endeavour to win his way, into the Commonwealth Parliament by contesting an electorate like lllawuira. at present held by a Nationalist, or that, at: any rate, he .should run the gauntlet of selection the >:iliu- as any other .I,a--iHiur candidate. He is also being Subjected to adverse crilieism for his acceptance of Dr. MaiinixV invitation to pre-' sidi) f,'; the Irish If ace 'Convention in MoliwAirne next lniip.Ui. One seetion of the ;;arty goes ,;o far as to contend that he should contest li;'iidigo against Jfr. Hughes,, and, in answer to the objection that this would came liivrt to. conline his platform campaign activities principally, to that electorate, points out that neither lie nor his parly would be any more disadvantaged in this respect than would Mr. Hughes or his party. .

Malcontent German sailors at Wilhplm-' shaven attempted to scuttle two minesweepers by opening the valves, luit Ihe attempt was observed in time, and frustrated.