NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 290, 1 September 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

Although tho advocates of tho Ono Big Union idon, tlio go-slow policy, and tho "irrigation strike" have temporarily captured the Sydney Labour Council, their hold on the Australian Labour movement does not seem to bo so extensive as they imngitne. This morning it is announced that a meeting of union officials in Sydney by iSie considerable majority of 71 to 23 pledged itself to endeavour to oust tho extremists in the council. The Labour Premier of New South Wales, Mr. Storey, recently took the gloves off and soundly castigated the revolutionaries. "I have great faith in the working man of Australia," said Mr. Storey, "and I don't think ho will allow himself to be led away by wild and lawless schemes, which, if carried to tlioir logical conclusion, would bring the State down Sn ruins with himself buried underneath. ... In any British self-governing community the majority of the people can get nil tho reforms they -want in a perfectly 'ordered way." This is sound common-sense. Unhappily the red extremists are past reaching by appeals" w reason and intelligence. The best way of dealing with them, was indicated by Mr. Storey: "A man who delights in blood, dreams of blood, talks blood, and wants tp wallow in blood can always be accommodated at the expense of the State. The gaols are gelcd boarding-houses for the criminally inclined." The frenzied advocates of ihe class war are not likily to be able to do more than retard progress'for a year or two/ but it is conceivable thai theft moon-nuidness may last long enough to g.re a big set-back to the Labour movement, * * * * The Government is acting wisely in sending a representative to Australia to look into the matter of obtaining coal supplies from Newcastle. A competent' man on the spot will effect more in. a week than will be obtained by months of correspondence. At the same time, the reason for selecting an official of the Railway Department is not clear. Why have the business men of the Co.il Trade Committee been passed over? It is th&v who have been entrusted with the problem of parcelling out the existing supplies, and in conducting the negotiations required in. Australia commercial rather than official experience is likely to be the more valuable.

The proposed reorganisation of ' the Public Health Department may be 60und enough, but what will it cost? At a time when attention must be concentrated on development works this aspect of schemes of Departmental reconstruction should be closely considered. The Public Health Department is in a reasonably efficient state. Doubtless it can bo improved The creation of a Board of Public Health 'and the other alterations foreshadowed aro all on the expansive side. The Prime Minister told us the other day that tha demands for public works are far in excess of tho amounts likely to be available. Many works urgently required will havo to stand over for others still mora urgent, An expansion of the Public Health Department will presumably swallow up some thousands per annum that might havo been used to pay interest and sinking fund on a considerable cum for road-making or bridge-building. Departmental growth at the present timo is distinctly not to be encouraged except in cases of urgency, • * * # » The Commonwealth' Government-owned fleet now makes a yespectablo showing ivith 39 vessels, sixteen of them being exGerman steamers. As stated in a recent cable message tho net profit for tlio year 1918-19 was <61,160,D0-1, and' for tho current year of 1919-20 it is estimated at X' 220,000, tho heavy decrease being duo to the extonded maritime strike in Australia. Tho line was started in 1910, and tho first two years' working showed a net profit of .£903,499. The total profits on the four years' working will thus bo about 2i millions sterling. The result is one that should be satisfactory to Australians, as they havo now in their hands an undertaking not only, valuable and profitable in itself, but with possibilities of great usefulness in checking exploitation by powerful shipping combinations. As an instance of the benefits derived it is pointed out that the Government rate for wheat for Britain nevei exceeded i 7 10s. when British shipping was unobtainable at .£ll 10a., and neiityals were asking ,£l3 15s. It is also Satisfactory to learn that, despite tho pressure put on shippers by tlio combine, there is a steady weekly increase in the private cargo shipped from London to Australia in tho Government steamers.

Love laughs at locksmiths, and also, it is evident, nt the high cost of living. In the eight months of the present year that have now elapsed no fewer than 1029 couples in the city gathered up their courage and took tho plunge into matrimony. Last year, when the marriage rate was above tho average, there were only 760 weddings in tho city. The indications are 1920 will rival w;tli 1915 as a year of marriages. In that year the National Registration Act resulted in something over 2000 mon more than usual taking wives unto themselves. ■

Thore were many sick and sorry shareholders in Melbourno Inst week when a. report carno through that tho Badak Company's tin property in tho .Malay Peninsula wag valueless. On the strength of statements by persons whom few of the buyers had ever scon the shares of this concern wero rushed up from JBIO to ,£2OOO. A company was formed, into which tho public eagerly bought on a capitalisation basis of three-quarters of a million. Tho mine had not bcon proved, no developmental work had been done, and not a 6tick of plant had been bought. Tho whole affair was a gamblo of the rankest kind. In the end tho shareholders sent away a local mining expert to report. The expert had borings mado all ovor the property, and could not get enough tin to make an assay. As is usual in such cases the buyers of Badak shares are blaming everything except thoir own folly, and loud demands are heard for Koyal Commissions and other equally futile Government action. If people will insist on buying a pig in a poke they have only themselves to thank if their money disappears and thore is no one worth powder and shot for them to mako a claim against.