licriew ol Reviews. UillS. PROGRESS OF THE WORLD. 



123 



in New South Wales regrets that this 

 course was not adopted with respect 

 of the two most recent appointments 

 to the bench of the High Court." Mr. 

 Piddington has resigned his position 

 for personal reasons. Much satisfac- 

 tion is expressed at the appointment 

 of Mr. Justice Rich in his place. It is 

 highly probable that Sir Samuel Grif- 

 fiths will become a member of the new 

 Appeal Court in London, for which posi- 

 tion he is eminently fitted. If the 

 custom of the State Courts is followed, 

 the rexersion of the Chief Justiceship 

 would go to an absoluteh' new ap- 

 [x^in.tee. If not, Mr. Justice Barton 

 would probably fill the position. 



A Citizen's Triumph. 



There is natural jubilation in the citi- 

 zens' camp over the judgment of the 

 Supreme Court in the action brought 

 against the McGowen Government on 

 the public behalf, with reference to the 

 e\iction of the Governor-General from 

 the State Government House. The 

 court held tliat the lands m question 

 had been set apart for the purpose of 

 a residence for the Governor of the 

 State before the Constitutional Gov- 

 ernment was granted to the colony, 

 and that the purpose could not be al- 

 tered without the assent of the Im- 

 perial authorities ; further, that it was 

 not within the power of the Legislature 

 to alter the purpose for which the land 

 had been used and set apart by the 

 Imperial authority. The court would 

 not take it upon itself to say what the 

 proper authority would be to deal with 

 the Government House land — whether 

 the Imperial Executive or the local Gov- 

 ernment, acting on behalf of His Im- 

 perial Majesty. It was simpl_\- found 

 that in the court's view the power to 

 deal with Government House and 

 grounds was not vested in the local 

 e.Kecutive, and that the New South 

 Wales' Government, in respect of that 



property, merely stands in the position 

 of custodian. After consideration, the 

 McGowen Government have announced 

 their intention of appealing to the High 

 Court, and the Citizens' Committee 

 formed to contest the issue, is now ap- 

 pealing for funds to meet the cost of 

 defending their position in the higher 

 court. The irony of the situation can- 

 not escape notice. The State Govern- 

 ment is spending public money in the 

 hope of obtaining legal sanction to 

 rob the citizens of what rightly belongs 

 to them, while the citizens are driven 

 to an appeal to public-spirited people 

 for money to enable them to defend 

 their rights! 



The Ferry Fighters. 



The sensation of the month in Syd- 

 ney has been the strike of ferry hands. 

 Good Friday was selected by the men 

 as the best for making their militant 

 ultimatum, and during the whole of 

 the Easter holidays the entire harbour 

 traffic was tied up. The huge holi- 

 day crowds had to find their recreation 

 in fighting for a chance to be ferried 

 from one side of the harbour to the 

 other in the limited number of small 

 boats and launches specially requisi- 

 tioned to minimise the inconvenience 

 caused to the public. The chief de- 

 mand of the men was for a 48-hour 

 working week, and after six days of 

 industrial warfare, a conference of re- 

 presentatives of the ferr}' companies, 

 and the men found a common ground 

 of agreement, and the trouble ended, 

 though not with an_\' particular satis- 

 faction to the party most affected, the 

 general public, who is always the 

 worst sufferer, and the last to be con- 

 sidered in these embroglios between 

 capital and labour. The basis of set- 

 tlement is a g6-hour fortnight, the or- 

 dinary hours of the fortnight to be 

 such that not more than 54 hours shall 

 be worked in one week, and not more 



