THE NIP OF WINTER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 64, 7 June 1927, Page 14

THE NIP OF WINTER

THE SUN'S SYDNEY T ETTER

(From Our Oxen Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 2. Chilly winds from the west, the opening of the ice-skating season at the Glaciarium, and the Lang frost, have made Sydney folk realise more than ever that winter is here; and Mr. T. D. Mutch’s selection as the leader of the other Labour Party to put the words into the mouths of those who feel that they have had too much. The appointment of Mr. Trefle at £1,850 a year was only one matter over which the political quarrel would have - occurred. There were plenty of others. The main feature of it all is Mr. Lang’s stubborn determination to get his way, whatever wreck may follow. Now, all haste is being made to prepare the electoral rolls in accordance with the new single electorate system, which is expected to give Labour a considerable advantage. If the Nationalists concentrate they should win, however, with two Labour parties in the field. MR. T. D. MUTCH Mr. Lang’s pet aversion in his Ministry for some time past has been Mr. Mutch, his former Minister of Education, who is a man of about 40 years of age and regarded as the Beau Brummel of the House. He started life as a school teacher, then drifted into journalism and by natural inclination became a politician. One fact which made him an outstanding character in Australia was his friendship for Henry Lawson, especially in the later days of that writer. Though the task was often thankless, he stuck to Lawson and provided him with means to secure the luxuries needed when the poet was in hospital. Records which otherwise might have been lost were preserved by Mr. Mutch at his own expense. Letters and art have always been his special care as a politician. As a Minister, he has plenty of diplomacy and is generous, as far as the Government purse will permit. His continual complaint has been that Mr. Lang starved his department in the matter of building new’ schools. Should he become Premier, which is not at all likely at present, he should at least give his Minister of Education ample funds. MELBA’S DEMOCRATIC HEART Great secrecy was observed concerning a private concert arranged by Dame Nellie Melba, and held on the P. and O. liner Naldera lying at Woolloomooloo last night. Dame Nellie travelled out from England in the Naldera to sing at Canberra, and she promised then, that since many of the ship’s company would be unable to hear her sing in Sydney or Melbourne, she would come on board and sing to them here. Apart from, the officers and crew, there were, only 20 guests, but even so, the saloon was crowded. White members of the crew were clustered at the doors, while the Lascars were outside, peering through the windows at the singers. Messrs. Lindley Evans, at the piano, Stuart Robinson, a dramatic bass, and John Lemmone, flautist, took part, and the concert, as Melba promised it would be, was equal to the best heard at the Town Hall. Afterward there was a danefe and Melba did not miss a dance. It was one of the happiest parties ever held and, as one there said, it was just like being at sea, with the advantage of having a steady ship. Melba travelled to Melbourne to-day in the Naldera, as the guest of the P. and O. Line. COLDEST FOR YEARS The weather in Sydney has made oven visiting South Islanders shiver. The temperatures, with the mercury away down the “roaring forties,” have been lower than those experienced for a long time. And the wind has had a dry, cutting quality which affects the skin, drying and “chapping” it. The New Zealand golfers had a sparkle in their eyes when they landed in such keen weather, and it looks as though they will experience these good golfing conditions, at least at the beginning of their play. A month ago, a slight fall of snow fell at Petersham, this week there was sleet at Chatswood, another close-in suburb; it is hard at such times as these to recall that the noble game of golf is played in the same localities in temperatures ranging up to 105 degrees, for they play it all the 3 r ear round in Australia, with fairways as hard as iron.

COLOURED ALIENS LAND IN NORTH

Sensational developments may follow on the work of the survey ship Geranium, which also patrols the coast in the Gulf of Carpentaria and other remote parts of Northern Australia. Recently she chased some luggers which were suspected of landing coloured prohibited migrants, but they got away inshore, and no doubt landed their passengers. For every one seen it is suggested that a dozen luggers get through with their human contraband. These people drift southward by slow stages till they are absorbed in the bigger communities. This is a new aspect of the smuggling-in of undesirables. The old way was for them to come to Sydney as members ■of the crew of a steamer. If they had to deposit £IOO with the captain before they could get shore leave, they forfeited that sum and got away. Or if they came as passengers and were forbidden to land, the same process was gone through. It was an expensive way to enter Australia. Now the Chinese or others proceed to New Caledonia at much less cost and from there are ferried across to the Queensland coast by lugger masters for £SO a head. Faster patrols and more of them are to be employed, but even then it will' be difficult to stop the traffic. —WILL LAWSON. rtr i’.i -y; -r -r &-r -!r -r 3- rK Si* % m