January, 1913. 



history of the (VIonth, 



XI. 



majority of the people favour liquor restriction, 

 especially in regard to the hours of sale. He fur- 

 ther emphasises the importance of the question by 

 showing that there were over 28,000 convictions \n 

 the courts of the State last year for drunkenness, 

 connected with which were many brutal assaults. 

 The natural grievance is that while the Government 

 has given much time and consideration to the general 

 question ,of early closing in the interests of the 

 workers, early closing, as it affects hotels, has been 

 ignored, though the early closing of shops, etc., 

 makes the need of removing the temptations to drink 

 in the idle hours more imjx>rtant than ever. There 

 is only one explanation of the McGowen Govern- 

 ment's failure to correctly interpret the growing sense 

 of public o]Mnion in favour of Temperance reform, 

 and it is lack of sympathy. 



The Interstate 

 Commission. 



The Interstate Commission Bill was 

 brought forward by the Attorney- 

 General last week. It provides for 

 the appointment of three commis- 

 sioners, who will be charged with the duty of investi- 

 gating as occasion arises, all matters which, in the 

 opinion of the Commission, ought, in the public 

 interest, to be investigated, affecting — (a) the pro- 

 duction of and trade in commodities ; (b) the encour- 

 agement, improvement, and extension of Australian 

 industries and manufactures; (c) markets outside 

 Australia, and the opening up of external trade gene- 

 rally ; (d) the effect and operation of any tariff Act 

 or other legislation of the Commonwealth in regard 

 to revenue, Australian manufactures and industry, 

 and trade generally; (e) prices of commodities; (f) 

 profits of trad? manufacture; (g) wages and .social 

 and industrial conditions ; (h) labour employment 

 and unemployment ; (i) bounties paid by foreign 

 countries to encourage shipping or export trade; (j) 

 population ; (k) immigration ; and (1) other matters re- 

 ferred to the commission by either House of the Par- 

 liament by resolution for investigation. The Com- 

 mission may investigate all matters affecting: — i. — 



(a) The extent of diversions or proposed diversions 

 or works, or proposed works for diversions, from any 

 river and its tributories and their effect, or probable 

 effect, on the navigability of rivers that, by them- 

 selves, or by their connection with other waters, con- 

 stitute highways for interstate trade and commerce ; 



(b) The maintenance and the improvement of the 

 navigability of such rivers ; (c) the bridgement by 

 the Commonwealth by any law or regulation of 

 trade or commerce of the rights of any State, or the 



residents therein, to the reasonable use of the waters 

 of the rivers for conservation or irrigation ; (d) the 

 \iolation bv anv State, or by the people of any 

 State of the rights of any other State, or the people 

 of any other State, with respect to the waters 

 of rivers. 2. — In this section " diversions " include 

 obstructions, impoundings, and appropriations of 

 water that diminish or retard the volume of flow to 

 a river ; all rates fixed or made by any common car- 

 rier, (a) For any service rendered in respect of 

 interstate commerce ; or (b) which affect interstate 

 commerce, shall be reasonable and just, and every 

 such rate which is unreasonable or unjust is hereby 

 prohibited. It shall not be lawful for any State, or 

 for anv State railway authority, to give, or make, 

 upon any railway the property of the State, in respect 

 of interstate commerce, or so as to affect such com- 

 merce, any preference or discrimination which is 

 undue and unrea.sonable or unjust to any State. 



"A Glorious 

 Fight." 



" It was a great victory for the 

 British Isles in every way, but what, 

 perhaps, is more important, it was 

 a glorious fight, in which the issue 

 hung in the balance till the very last match was 

 played, and the genuine expressions of congratula- 

 tions that were showered upon us just after the last 

 stroke had l>een made and won, pro\'ed to us what 

 fine sportsmen they are in this country." That was 

 how the English captain, Mr. C. P. Dixon, summed 

 up the contest for the Davis Cup. It was indeed a 

 memorable struggle for supremacy. The win for the 

 British Isles team certainly came as a surprise, for 

 the critics were almost unanimous in their opinion 

 that the challengers would be defeated. The Eng- 

 lishmen came out to w'in, and in the language of 

 their captain on the eve of sailing, reckoned they had 

 " a fine sporting chance of bringing back the ashes," 

 and so it proved. After the first day's play, when 

 Mr. Norman Brookes was defeated by Parke, the 

 brilliant Irish player, Australia's chances of saving 

 the cup were remote. There is nothing to deplore in 

 the result. It was an excitingly even game ; the 

 teams were well matched, and there is every reason 

 to believe that if the contest were to be played over 

 again, it would be either side's game. In the gene- 

 ral interests of tennis, it is good that the cup should 

 go round, and if the trophy had to leave Australia, if 

 only temporarily, there is no country in whose keep- 

 ing Australians would sooner see it than England. 

 Already tennis enthusiasts are discussing what will 

 happen next year when Brookes goes to England. 



