44 



AUSTRALASIA. 



and no surplus is anticipated until the new Fed- 

 eral tariff comes into force. In order that this 

 shall be ample not only for revenue but for pro- 

 tec lion the New South Wales Protectionists are 

 agitating for the adoption of the Victorian tariff, 

 which is vaunted as a scientific one. The Parlia- 

 ment met on June 12. When the bubonic plague 

 appeared at Sydney the city corporation showed 

 itself incompetent to deal with the difficulty. 

 ln-jH'rtors appointed by aldermen would not 

 apply the sanitary laws* when dealing with the 

 premises of these aldermen or their supporters. 

 \ 't-ry soon the Government saw the necessity of 

 taking the matter into its own hands, and its 

 thorough work in sanitation led to the opinion 

 that the public health should be taken from the 

 corporation and placed in charge of a responsible 

 Government department. The Government pulled 

 down buildings and did other things that were 

 illegal but effective as preventive measures. For 

 these it obtained a bill of indemnity. The wharves 

 and foreshore of the harbor, where the disease 

 first appeared, were resumed by the state. A 

 more thorough public health act was carried 

 through Parliament. Another provided for the 

 better government of Sydney. A bill dividing the 

 country into the proper number of electorates was 

 based on the report of a commission. A harbor 

 trust was* established. To replace guns sent to 

 South Africa the Government purchased in Eng- 

 land 4 4.7-inch naval guns fitted with carriages 

 for field service, and several Vickers-Maxim guns. 

 A bill was carried putting the volunteer force 

 on a better footing. Various Government meas- 

 ures showed that the Labor party held the bal- 

 ance of power and was inclined and able to dic- 

 tate to this Cabinet as effectually as it did to Mr. 

 I'eid's Cabinet. A bill was introduced giving 

 municipalities power to raise their revenues by 

 taxing the unimproved value of land. Another 

 provides for the safe working of metalliferous 

 mines, and establishes a fund for the relief of 

 workers in case of death or accident. Eight hours 

 is made the maximum day's labor. The Govern- 

 ment also brought forward a measure establishing 

 compulsory arbitration in labor disputes and one 

 dealing with old-age pensions. A far-reaching 

 measure provides for the purchase of large estates 

 by the state in order to divide them up for the 

 purjwse of closer settlement. An early closing act 

 passed in the preceding session was found to work 

 badly, giving opportunities to some for evasion, 

 while small suburban shops that have been accus- 

 tomed to do most of their business after working 

 hours suffered unduly. Changes in this law were 

 proposed, and numerous subjects of minor impor- 

 tance were introduced for legislation, more than 

 there was time to discuss. The advancement of 

 public works was approved, especially light rail- 

 roads, water conservation, and artesian wells. 



Victoria. The members of the Legislative 

 Council, 48 in number, are elected for six years 

 by citizens owning property worth 10 per an- 

 num or leasing property rated at 25 per annum. 

 The members of the Legislative Assembly, 95 in 

 number, are elected for three years by universal 

 manhood suffrage. The number of electors for 

 the Assembly enrolled in 1898 was 252,560. The 

 Governor is Lord Brassey. The ministers in office 

 at the opening of 1900 were the following: Pre- 

 mier and Chief Secretary, Allan McLean; Treas- 

 urer. W. Shields; Attorney-General, W. H. Irvine; 

 Minister of Mines, Railways, and Water Supply, 

 A. R. Outtrim; Minister of Public Works and 

 Agriculture, G. Graham; Postmaster-General, W. 

 A. Watt; Minister of Education and Customs, 

 Carty Salmon; Minister of Lands, J. H. McColl; 



Solicitor-General, J. M. Davies; Minister of De- 

 fense, D. Melville. 



The Parliament was opened on June 27. Pro- 

 jected legislation included female franchise, old- 

 age pensions, the state purchase of land for closer 

 settlement, the establishment of a department of 

 labor, and the prevention of the adulteration of 

 wine. The expenditure for the year exceeded the 

 estimate, but revenue increased in a greater ra,tio, 

 leaving a surplus of 132,000. For the war in 

 Africa 63,000 had been spent, and 20,000 of 

 the surplus was required to send a naval contin- 

 gent to China. Revenue for 1901 was estimated 

 at 7,482,000 and expenditure just under that 

 amount. For increased educational expenditure 

 19,000 would be required; for additional mili- 

 tary expenses, 18,000; for old-age pensions, 

 25,000. The women in Victoria who are op- 

 posed to female suffrage started a movement on 

 the lines of the American women's antisuffrage 

 movement, and when the woman's suffrage bill was 

 under discussion in Parliament they obtained 

 many thousand signatures to a petition against 

 the measure. The Government borrowed 500,- 

 000 for railroad purposes, obtaining the money in 

 Melbourne at the price of 96J for 3 per cent, de- 

 bentures. 



Queensland. The Legislative Council con- 

 tains 38 members, nominated by the Crown; the 

 Legislative Assembly of 72 members is elected for 

 three years by the ballots of male residents of six 

 months' standing. The Governor is Lord Laming- 

 ton. The ministry was composed of the follow- 

 ing members at the beginning of 1900: Treasurer 

 and Secretary for Mines, Robert Philp; Chief 

 Secretary, James Robert Dickson; Secretary for 

 Agriculture, J. V. Chetaway; Home Secretary. 

 J. F. C. Foxton; Postmaster-General and Secre- 

 tary for Public Instruction, George Drake; Secre- 

 tary for Public Lands, W. O'Connell ; Secretary 

 for Railways and Secretary for Public Works, 

 John Murray; Attorney-General, A. Rutledge; 

 without portfolio, George Wilkie Gray and D. 

 Dalrymple. 



South Australia. There is an elective Legis- 

 lative Council of 24 members, one third of whom 

 are replaced every third year. The House of 

 Assembly has 54 members, elected for three years 

 by the vote of adult citizens of both sexes whose 

 names have been registered six months previous 

 to the election. There were 151,143 qualified elect- 

 ors in 1898. The Governor is Lord Tennyson. 

 The Cabinet at the beginning of 1900 was com- 

 posed as follows: Treasurer and Premier, F. W. 

 Holder; Chief Secretary, J. G. Jenkins; Attorney- 

 General, J. H. Gordon; Commissioner of Crown 

 Lands, L. O'Loughlin; Commissioner of Public- 

 Works, R. W. Foster; Minister of Education and 

 Agriculture, E. L. Batchelor. 



The Parliament was opened on June 14. House- 

 hold franchise, early closing, the assessment of 

 land values, local government, land consolidation 

 and repurchase, factories, a graving dock for Port 

 Adelaide, railroads, a company law, aborigines, 

 and other subjects were brought forward by the 

 Government for legislation. The proposal to give 

 all householders votes for members of the Legis- 

 lative Council did not obtain the consent of the 

 Council, although an extension of suffrage was 

 agreed to. Both houses passed an act disqualify- 

 ing members of the Federal Parliament from sit- 

 ting in the South Australian Parliament, and 

 compelling members of the local Parliament to 

 resign on taking seats in the Federal Parliament. 

 A royal commission examined into the condition 

 and prospects of village settlements started some 

 time ago in South Australia, and reported that 



