Vol. XXVI IT., No. 2. 



FEBRUARY 20, 1906. 



The Rev 



eviews 



BQ6ITA8LK KUILDIMG, l/E/.BOrR.\'E. 



THE HISTORY OF THE MONTH. 



The 

 Tire rknd. 



Melbourne, February 10, 1906. 

 Last month I recorded the fact that 

 up to the time of writing we had a 

 phenomenal freedom from fire, but 

 the ink was scarcely dry upon the 

 sheets when the States of Victoria and New South 

 Wales were Wrapped in smoke and flame. Fires 

 seemed to break out simultaneously, all over the 

 latter State especially, and the January of 1906 will 

 be sadly remembered by some as one of the most 

 eventful of their lives. The curious thing is that 

 the fires have not been confined to any one place. 

 The newspapers have been full of reports of con- 

 flagrations from all parts of the State. They were 

 heaviest, however, in the Daylesford district and in 

 Gippsland, and it is estimated that nearly 130 

 homes were destroyed. Unfortunately, there was 

 great loss of life as well, the most pathetic incident 

 in that regard being the death of the six little 

 Lonsdale children in Gippsland. Altogether some- 

 thing like fifteen lives were lost. The worst of the 

 fires took place on the 23rd ult., but for a fortnight 

 afterwards they were raging with more or less in- 

 tensity in all parts of the State, and at the time of 

 writing were by no means quelled. Unfortunately in 

 very few rases was there any insurance on the pro- 

 perties. The exhibitions of bravery and sympathy 

 are great enough to rank with daring deeds and 

 whole-hearted service anywhere in the world. 



The A.N.A. in Melbourne has 

 Melbourne SCOred a s P lendid success this year 

 Exhibition. in conn -ction with the exhibition 

 initiated and carried out by it. The 

 great Exhibition Building in Melbourne has been 

 well filled with examples of Australian manufacture, 

 and it must have been a revelation to a great many 

 people as to what Australia could actually produce. 

 Clearlv Australia is going to hold her own as a 

 manufacturing country, and if she can onlv get 

 population to consume what she produces, there will 

 be no fear but that she will be able to stand shoul- 

 der to shoulder with the older countries of the 

 world. The display was remarkable and worthv in 

 every respect. At 'the annual dinner, Mr. Deakin 



made a noteworthy address. He was wise to preface 

 it by combating the foolish notion that, because 

 Federation has not brought about an idyllic state of 

 affairs it is, therefore, condemned and unnecessary. 

 True, Federation may not have accomplished all 

 that was expected of it, but it has, on the whole, 

 given a good account of itself under its conditions of 

 appointment and administration. The dominant 

 note of the address, however, was the all-important 

 necessity of population, and Mr. Deakin threw out a 

 hint which it is sincerely to be hoped he will tend until 

 it bears a rich harvest. If the States would only 

 foster schemes of closer settlement, the Common- 

 wealth, he said, would be prepared to subsidise im- 

 migration. He said with no uncertain voice that if 

 the Premiers at their approaching Conference in 

 April would make full arrangements to receive a 

 steady inflow of immigration, he would be prepared 

 at the next session of Parliament to urgently advise 

 the Commonwealth to subsidise and energise immi- 

 gration ; to ask the Federal Parliament to vote 

 liberal funds so that suitable immigrants might be 

 assisted financially to come to Australia at rates so 

 low that they would be able to enter into competi- 

 tion with Canada, or any other attractive parts of 

 the world. This sounds like business, and if the 

 States will only co-operate, and make available the 

 land which they have in abundance, many months 

 ought not to elapse before the tide of immigration 

 sets in towards our shores, not only enriching our- 

 selves, but helping to solve the problems of the 

 Old Country. It is, of course, desirable that the 

 vast areas of Australia should be peopled, if pos- 

 sible, by an English-speaking people, especially in 

 our earlier history, that its spirit may be thoroughly 

 loyal to the Empire, and that it may help onward 

 the unity of the English-speaking race. 



The death of Sir Hugh Nelson, the 



Q Cabin la t nd late President of the Queensland 



Chanqes. Legislature, has been the cause of 



some changes in the Cabinet. Mr. 



Morgan has retired from the Premiership, and has 



been appointed President in Sir Hugh Nelson's 



place. Mr. Kidston steps into Mr. Morgan's shoes 



