AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1924, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

JURIES AND CHURCHES

SYDNEY, May lit!. Two interesting activities have l>een nought within tho rapidly expanding phere of women's activities in Ausralia. Queensland has, during the last week, passed regulations for tho nclusion of women on juries, and the ['reshyteritin Assembly of West Ausralia has carried a resolution eoncedng the right to women to act as cld-

or!t . This is tho second notable instance in which the Western State has led the Commonwealth in acknowledging the capacity of women to serve ill public offices. The first woman member of Parliament, and so far the only one. elected in Australia, was .Mrs Cowan, and although she was unseated at the recent election for the state, :•

is conceded by all parties that Iter luck! intellect and the special joints of

view that she was able to on numerous matters effectively to represent were of great assistance to tile House, I rout which she will he greatly missed. The admission of women on juries in Queensland has been so arranged that it will not place them under the same compulsory obligations as men. With men. they now enjoy tho right to serve on juries between the ages of 21 and Of), but only such women as express a desire to serve will he enrolled, furthermore, the sheriff lias the right to except a female juror who applies from service hv reason of the nature of the evidence to be given in any particular ease. Queensland is thus the first State to grant a concession that has long been sought on behalf of women’s organisations in the othei States. It is held by them that in certain classes oT eases women are more competent to decide tho issues than are men. and that it is not in accord with-modern thought and practice to exclude them from a sphere in which they call do useful service. As well as the Presbyterian Church, the Church of England has moved in flic direction of liberalising its attitude towards women. and there have been recent instances of women being appointed to parish councils.

QUEENSLAND’S RED DEKII. QUEEN VICTORIA’S DIET. SYDNEY, May 23. A recent investigation into the condition of Queensland’s red deer herd, which was presented about 30 years ago by Queen Victoria, shows that it lias increased wonderfully and satisfactorily Contends against the natural menaces that beset it in the wild country in South Queensland which was allotted for its home, in the original herd there were two stags and three does. Alter due consideration, it was decided to give them freedom in some suitable locality, instead ol cooping them up in small enclosures where they would die out. Consequently they were released in the mountain range which divides the Stanley and Rrisliane rivers—at Mount Somerset and Mount Roorau, which form, or did form, the eastern boundary of Cress brook run. Only at very infrequent inleravls has any news regarding them appeared in the Press. A journey of inspection, however, has revealed that they are sturdy and increasing. Herds of as many as to are sometimes seen, and some become very tame ij.ml make friends with the settlors. The first glimpse of a deer by one who had travelled many miles to see them, and climbed the rough track uj> .Mount Ruonui for a thousand feel on horseback, gives a pretty picture. "Leaving the horses to feed on the succulent grass which clothed the little

plateau,’’ he says, ‘‘cautious stops were taken to the top of a rocky lilufT below which lay a favourite haunt of deer. Nothing was seen hut a rock wallaby, but alter a jierioil of waiting, tlie iminling finger of our guide directed the gn/.e to Cooee-iii-biir.lin Creek below. A slight movement through the trees, and a deer passed tilling, slowly feeding. Then, evidently warned by some sound, it stood still and In mod its gaze upwards towards the' watchers. Its coat where the sun gleamed on it appeared to lie much the colour of a fox. Whether Hie deei was a doe or a siag was hard to say, as. the.latter shed their antlers every year. It is evident that the red deer have become acclimatised to tlu-ir new home. Antlers shed hv the slags, and

containing as manv ax six tines, have heen picked up in the Intsh. Evidently al-o. the deer is immune to the lick, and the doe, timid as it is, can protect hot It it.-t-!|' and fawn against the dingo. Beer have heeti seen ax far up as Moore, and although it would re difficult, if not impossible, to give an estimate of the number ranging the hills, the herd has increased very eonsideraldv.”

Occasionally tin- does will come Town and ''elmm up" with the milker' rows. One fawn—perhaps an orphan ■ has adopted a farm at Xurinda as its home. There ttlxo is a friendly doe which accompanies some milking rows into their paddock. The mountain range for some miles lots been reserved as a deer and laid saiietimry.