334 



The Review of Reviews. 



April 10. am. 



VeTey and Co.,] 



MP. A D. Freeman. 

 Becently elected Preaident of 

 Victorian A.N. A. 



iPhoto. 



the 



as early in the year 

 as possible, for 

 both the Federal 

 and the New Zea- 

 land Parliaments 

 meet fairly early 

 in the year, and 

 the fact that the 

 lormer will follow 

 a general election 

 makes it absolutely 

 necessary that the 

 time should be 

 early enough to al- 

 low the Prime 

 Minister to return 

 to make prepara- 

 tion for the follow- 

 ing session. Mr. 

 Deakin and Mr. 

 Seddon are acting 

 in concert in the 

 matter, so it is pro- 

 bable that their 

 wishes will be ac- 

 ceded to. Mr. 

 Deakin, in his 

 (X-mraunication. has assumed " that the members of 

 the Conference will be entirely unfettered in the sub- 

 mission by them of subjects for discussion." This 

 is so desirable that it ought not to require special 

 emphasis, but for all that it is well to have aii under- 

 standmg beforehand. A Conference in which all 

 the suggestions come from one siile only would par- 

 take of something of the nature of a farce. There 

 are matters of vital interest to the Colonies that 

 might require discussion, matters which the Home 

 Government might require some enlightenment upon, 

 and the fact that these could not be mentioned would 

 rob the Conference of its chief value — the frank and 

 friendiv discussion of matters that agitate the minds 

 of any of the sections of the Empire. The Con- 

 ference, held regularly, may under the conditions 

 sought, become one of the greatest sources of 

 strength that the Empire possesses. It is the begin- 

 ning of the project of an Empire Council, which in 

 years to come, as the Empire beyond the seas in- 

 creases, will he an absolute necessity for its unity 

 and harmonious growth. A good understanding of 

 Colonial conditions, so very necessary, can only be 

 gained by more or less (the m.ore the better) frank 

 and friendly interchange of thought. 



There are indications that the ques- 



The tion of a uniform union label "must 



Union label. soon take a concrete shape. It has 



been proposed that the scheme for 



the registration of a design for trade union labels 



shall be remitted to a meetint; of the Federal Labour 



Council. Mr. Watson approves of the idea, as this 

 Council is not a political body, dealing only with 

 purely industrial matters. Applications have been 

 made in some parts of the Commonwealth for the 

 registration of designs which signify that articles are 

 made bv union labour. Unless some uniform design 

 is adopted, into which the distinctive symlx)ls of a 

 trade can be worked, such confusion will arise that 

 the design of the Act will be frustrated, and in the 

 interests of the community it is desirable that the 

 public should know what it is getting. If each 

 employer is a law unto himself, most incongruous 

 situations will arise. 



London, March, 1906. By \V. T. Stead. 



The great event of January was 

 ^^^ the overwhelming defeat of the 



Power House of p^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ goath African 

 the Empire. ,,- -^ t, ^ ,.^1-1, 



\\ ar. 1 he great event of f-ebruary 



was the re-establishnient at Westminster of a Parlia 

 ment which is in every sense the heart of the nation. 

 For years Parliam.ent had been sinking in public 

 esteem. In the last years of the Balfour Ministr\ 

 it had come to be treated with contempt. It was 

 flo.ted and ignored by the Government, and its pro- 

 ceedings were followed with the most languid interest 

 by the people. Now all that has changed. St. 

 Stephen's has once more become the centre of the 

 Empire. It is crowded night after night by the 

 representatives of the people, with a sturdy faith 

 in the House of Commons and a proud conscious- 

 ness of their mandate. Westminster is alive again. 

 The reports of the Parliamentary debates have sud- 

 denlv become the most interesting feature in the 

 daily newspapers. There is a hum, a thrill, a mo- 

 mentum perceptible even by the most casual ob- 

 seri'er in the corridors and lobbies of the House. 

 Even the Peers show symptoms of a new life. The 

 Mother of Parliaments has renewed her youth and 

 faces the future with the pride of conscious strength 

 and a confidence born of the faith which inspired the 

 electors. It is a great and blessed transformation. 

 In place of cynicism there is enthusiasm. Lethargy- 

 has given place to exuberant energy. Everyone 

 means business, and if business be not done they 

 will know the reason why. The Imperial Pariia- 

 ment has become the Power House of the Empire ; 

 and as you pass under the statues of Cromwell and 

 of Richard the Lion Heart you can almost hear the 

 purr of the political dynamos, whose pulsations are 

 felt to the uttermost ends of the earth. 



The King opened the first Parlia- 

 The Prologue of ment of his reign on the 19th of 

 the Session. February. The day was wet and 

 cold. The Court being in mourn- 

 ing for the death of the King of Denmark, the 

 Peeresses were dressed in black. But no funeral 

 gloom hung over the proceedings. It was the 

 christening day of the Democracy. The King's 



