AUSTRALIAN HAPPENING.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 April 1919, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN HAPPENING.

THE, LIQUOR QUESTION

SYDNEY, April 4. The Government of New South Wales has not yet decided when it will take the referendum on a bare majority on j the question of prohibition. A referendum lias to be taken sooner or later that was a decision arrived at by the State Legislative Assembly, and accepted by the Government. Parliament gave no instruction, however, in regard to the date of the poll, and it was supposed that it would be taken on the occasion of the State election about a year hence. It is now stated that it is unlikely that the vote will be talc: n then. The Government, in order that the vote shall be a perfectly fair one, says that all the soldiers must be homo before it is taken, and that will probably involve a period of from 12 to 18 months.

A preliminary regarded as essential is , the computation of the amount of eo'U- : pensation to bo paid. The Government 1 accepts the principle of compensation, but tlie basts of it is a wide-open question. Once the basis is settled, the ' Government will consider the conditions • under which the referendum may be j taken. The electors will be t-old that : if prohibition is carried the State must J pay, and they will be told how much will have to fie paid, Another matter which must be seri. ously considered in connection with this | question is that of wine growing. There . are millions of money invested in this ' State in viticulture and wine production and the Government is by no moans willing to sweep away a very big and profitable industry just at a time when industries which will at once employ many men and produce much wealth are most urgently demanded. It may yet prove that the question of bow to deal with the wine-producing industry will settle the prohibition issue in this State, for the prohibitionists refuse to agree to any compromise on the subject.

BOLSHEVISTS TO BE DEPORTED. “Outski!” is the flippant but very expressive beading in a Sydney evening paper. It means that about 60 persons, mostly Russians, who have been actively engaged as Bolshevist propagandists for some time past, are to bo deported with the least possible delay.

Eight men,- now in and about Brisbane, and described as leading Russian Bolshevists, are to be arrested forthwith and sent out of harm’s way. The Federal authorities have ordered a list -to l>e compiled of all aliens in Queensland who ore known to have identified themselves will Bolshevist activities It is believed that this will bring with, in the drag-net most of the dangerous characters, who will be sent away without further ado. If there are others who remain to carry on the fanatical work they will probably be dealt with under the War Precautions Act, which is still operative. Definito action is also promised by the Commonwealth against certain British subjects wlio have offended by a disloyal propaganda. It is considered likely that they will be rounded up in a similar manner and put under restraint.

It is stated somewhat mysteriously that “persons deported in the circumstances detailed above are being sent to territory set. apart bv the British Government for the internment of Bolshevists and other rebels. It is under, stood that some Australian subjects who were deported during the war period arc still there in detention. ’ Where this territory is is not stated, but it is apparently not in Australia.

NEW AVAR LOAN T-TKELY

Another war loan—the last—is promised two or three months hence. Financiers expect that it will be in the vicinity of £30,000,000. Although there is no doubt about the money being wanted, for war expenditure cannot be regarded as ended until the army is wholly demobilised, it is certain that if it is not to bo obtained compulsorily a high rate of interest and some great banging of the big drum will be needed. Tho last two war loans, each of £4O, 000,000 were raised with difficulty, after the expenditure of very largo sums ill advertising and general “publicity,” and much energy by public men who stumped the country. Now, with the hectic excitement of war passed, and patriotism not quite such a stimulating thing, the public will want to keep its money for other things. However, less than a year ago the Federali Government passed legislation giving it power to raise war loans compulsorily, if appeals to patriotism failed. The Government has power to ask any payer of income tax how much lie lias contributed to war loans, and if bis purchases of bonds have not been in proportion to bis income—lie is not only compelled to purchase, but is mulcted in a penalty. To-day the Federal Treasurer m ust be thanking bis lucky stars that he got that legislation through in time.

THE RUIN OF COBAR

The mining town of Cobar, a place of 5000 people, has suffered calamity as the result, of the slump in copper. The Australian production of copper cannot be sold owing to the huge accumulation of the metal in 10ngland, and the smelting works and mines have been suddenly closed. There was nothing else to bo done. The Government thought of keeping the mines going for a while, but the future ot the copper market appeared so gloomy that it dared not take the risk. Therefore many thoiusaiuls of men are idle. Cobar. away out towards the Darling, 1(5 miles from Sydney, and the terminus of a railway, is surroundod with rich copper deposits and absolutely lives oil the copper industry. U»-

less the mines reopen, the town, built in what is almost a desert, must simply disappear. To show how close is its j connection with mining, it may be

mentioned that, as soon as tho mines closed, the Government had to open relief depots there, otherwise a. bag section of the population would have starved. Many hundreds of people are now being maintained there by the Government, and the number is increasing daily. It is a nmst difficult and awkward problem. The Government this week say that it can find emploj ment for 1500 men and women elsewhere, mostly on the railways, tramways ,ancl in coal mines, and that it will grant them free railway passes to other places. i

Blit it is tho loss of money invested in Co bar that is the most serious aspect. The Government, for instance, built 80 miles of railway to connect C obar with the Bourlcc line, and an elaborate scheme of electric lighting has just been completed. One has only to estimate the amount of public and private wealth invested in a town like Oamaru, for instance, til got an idea of the calamity that has overtaken Cobar. It is said that the Cobar people are stunned and do not know what to do. They have made frantic appeals to the State Government for assistance,—but what can the State Government dp that it is not already dping ?