liv. 



The Review of Reviews. 



April, 1912. 



inj^ a rcjjrescutatiw. UnioniMii j^i.mt- mad, this, of 

 a surety ! But the Conference lost nothing thereby, 

 while the Council lost a };ood ileal. The interest 

 taken was f;o,nl, tlie .iltiinlance excellent, the lone 

 high. -Much time was taken up with discussion upon 

 the best methods of improving methods of secondary 

 and universit) cour.ses, hut unfortunately primary 

 methods were .somewhat neglected. One \ery great 

 lack was the absence of any di.scussion or decision 

 with regard to the jiosition that moral education 

 ought to oivupv in a well-ordered national pro- 

 gramme. Strangely <-nough, that aspect was 

 neglected, and would ha\e been quite overlooked if 

 it liad not been for one or two advocates who brought 

 the matter up, Init unfortunately failed to enthuse 

 the Congress. It was not that the arguments were 

 not convincing, but the Conference was apathetic 

 and uninterested. It is to be hoped that the Con- 

 gress will become a regular thing. Far greater 

 facilities are needed for higher education than 

 generallv exists, while more attention needs to be 

 given to University equipment. This end of edu- 

 <-ation has lieen somewhat starved. 



Conference -^ '''" "ceks ago a rather remark- 

 on alile mo\e was made by a society 

 Immoral loniucted with the Roman Catholic 



Literature. Churcli in Victoria. It issued a 



cir<-ular inviting other churches and societies of every 

 description to meet in conference to discuss the ques- 

 tion of immoral literature. 'I'he invitation was 

 re.sponded to heariilx, .uid the conference held. It 

 was quite a success. A c{jmmittee w^is formed, 

 thoroughly representative of diflerent shades of 

 religious lielief, to ijursue the question of immoral 

 literature, and fniallv to prevent the circulation of 

 the indecM-nt stuff that now circulates freely. The, 

 s<x:ietv is to be heartily congratulated upon the move 

 it made. T have personally reason to rejoice, for 

 it is not .so long ago that an invitation went from 

 the .Social Reform Bureau to Archbishop Carr, ask- 

 ing him to join in a conference to discuss the best 

 means of suppressing a glaring iniblic evil, and it 

 was received by him with sneers. There is all the 

 more reason therefore for rejoicing that the Church 

 that he is connected with has not only interested it- 

 self in the di.'«'Ussion of a ])ublic wrong, but actu- 

 • dly initiated it. There is siu'ely some reason to hope 

 that the Church will not draw distinctions between 

 public evils, but will forthwitii prove her sincerity 

 by combining with every other church and society 

 that stands for the sui)])ression of (lie liquor and 

 gambling evils. It is not too much to say that if the 

 Rom.ui Catholic Church joined with the Protestant 

 <:hurches in an attack <.>n these great evils, to say 

 nothing of others, they would be speedily dealt with. 

 \Ve sliall lof)k forward with |)leasure to seeing the 

 initiative in these mailers al.so undertaken by the 

 Roman Catholic Church. ']"he\ will be assured 



beforehand of the ardent and active <:o-operation of 

 e\er\ otlier church. 



For the last month or two the 

 The Church and (.'hurch of Fngland authorities in 

 Social Reform. M|.ll)ourne have taken a forward 



mii\ement in connection with Social 

 Reform. Occasionally at the Sabbath evening ser- 

 \ices in the Cathedral lectures have l>een given by 

 prominent men — ministerial and hn — upon some 

 form of .social evil. The limitation of families, im- 

 moralitv. intemperance, and so on, have already 

 been dealt with. This is excellent, and is a sign of 

 the times which is encouraging. One can always 

 rejoice when the work that has lain neglected for 

 years is at last taken up. It is a tine thing that 

 two great churches should recently have taken steps 

 which make it appear that they are falling into line 

 with other religious bodies and reform societies. 

 The mo\e:nent indicates that the Church is falling 

 into line with current thought, and recognising that 

 it should lead in all that concerns the welfare of the 

 people. Social reform occupies a far higher place 

 in the minds of folk generally than it did seven 

 years ago. and there seems a possibility of it becom- 

 ing the natural habit of the churches. This is good 

 and is worth fighting for. 



The South Polar regions have 

 Captain demanded a lot of attention this 



Amundsen. month. First arrives Captain 

 .\niundsen, who sa\s he has reached 

 the Pole, and there ought to he no reason why his 

 word should be doubted. No one will lie desirous 

 of grudging any of the honour attaching to the 

 accomplishment of the gallant captain, and we join 

 with others in extending congratulations. The South 

 Pole regions have not taken the toll of lives that the 

 north regions ha\e done, and the task of reaching 

 the Pole .seems much easier to overcome. FoUow-ing 

 (.in the heels of the " Fram " at Hobart came Dr. 

 .Mawson's boat, the '' Ainora," which has left for 

 a time the intrepid men who are pinsuing their 

 iinestigations in the south. 



The remiKUit ol liie cricketing 



The Cricket .ihiliiv of Australia has gone to 



Dispute. England to do its best to keep up 



the Ixi'st traditions of Australi.u) 

 cricket, .\e\er in the history of Australia lias a 

 team g!>n<' with less goodwill. The miserable tangle 

 into which the Board of Control has got matters has 

 not been imravelled with the departure of the team. 

 The general feeling in the communitv is decidedly 

 against the Board, which. b\ its arrogant and dicta- 

 torial assumjition of anthoiitv has discredited itself 

 in the exes of Australia. It has estranged hosts of 

 s\m])athi.sers, and turn<'d .igainst itself the feelings 

 of six of the best i-rick<-lers m the continent. Uii- 

 lortunateh the Boartl is in |iow<'r, and even if it 

 iniy not have it legallv, is ,iMe to exercise anthorilv. 



