Revitw of Recieiri, llSjOi. 



history of the Month. 



435 



It is netdlfss to say that, in coni- 



San f^rancisco """"^ ^^'^ ^'' P^"* °' *^*^ civilised 

 Earthquake. world, the deepest sympathy of 



Australians was expressed with the 

 San Francisco sufferers. It is probable that some 

 •issistance will be given to Australian sufferers in the 

 'ity, of whom it is understood there are a great 

 many. The shock was recorded upon the seismometer 

 at the Melbourne Observatory, and a sketch of the 

 record made upon the tape is shown elsewhere in 

 this issue. 



A matter which the Federal Govern- 

 free Trade With ment might very well take up is 

 New Zealand, the question of reciprocal trade 



with New Zealand. There is not 

 the slightest reason why there should not be free 

 trade between the Commonwealth and that colony. 

 Conditions of labour, and provisions against sweat- 

 ing, are as severe there as in Australia. Indeed, 

 conditions are stricter in some respects than they 

 are in some parts of Australia. Trade relations be- 

 tween the two places ought to be as free as is pos- 

 sible, and neither country would lose anything, but 

 would gain vastly if the products oi one were intro- 

 duced in the other without the hamper of duty. We 

 form one people in these southern seas, and it is 

 just as ridiculous for trade restrictions to be im- 

 posed between the two countries, where equal con- 

 ditions exist, as it would be to re.store trade restric- 

 tions between the States of Australia. It would be 

 a truly statesmanlike action, with far-reaching re- 

 sults, for the Federal Govemment to take the mat- 

 ter in hand, and open up negotiations with the New 

 Zealand Government. The matter might be put 

 through during the coming session of the respective 

 Parliaments. It ought not to conflict with the views 

 of protectionists, and would certainlv be most ac- 

 ceptable to the upholders of free trade, and would 

 help to make still tighter the bond which already 

 '■xists between the two countries. 



West Australia has again just 

 West Australia! passed through the throes of poli- 

 Polltics. tical difficulties. The political as- 



pect there changes almost as fre- 

 quently as that of our Southern skies on Spring days. 

 Mr. Rason has resigned the Premiership, and will 

 probably take up the Agent-Generalship. The new 

 Ministry is composed as follows: — Premier and 

 Minister for Lands, Mr. X. J. Moore j Trea.surer 

 Mid Minister for Agriculture. Mr. Frank Wilson ; 

 Attorney-General, Mr. X. Keenan ; Mini.ster for 

 Mines and Railways, Mr. H. Greg<irv ; Minister for 

 Works, Mr. J. Price; Colonial Secretary- and Leader 

 of the Legislative Council, Mr. J. D. Connelly : Hon. 

 Minister, Mr. C. A. Piesse, M.L.C. Prior to this, 

 it seemed as though matters were likelv to jog on 

 contentedly for some time. Otherwise the situation 

 has not created a great deal of surprise. Lightning 

 changes in legislative administration are almost un- 



avoidable in a country in its ear'.ier political stages. 

 It is nut a characteristic of W« st .Australia. It is 

 common to all peoples. 



The Age newspaper has raised a 

 ^ X ""' '"^ controversy concerning the owner- 

 the Riverina. ^l^'P o^ ^^'^ Riverina, and has un- 

 earthed documents which seem to 

 prove beyond a question of doubt that it was origin- 

 ally intended that the line of demarcation should be 

 so drawn as to include that district in Victoria. 

 It has been felt by residents of the Riverina for a 

 long time that that part of the State was somewhat 

 neglected on account of its nearness to Victoria, 

 and they would probably not be averse to a change 

 of owners. But it is hardly likely to eventuate. 

 The rest of Xew South Wales would object to one of 

 t.he richest parts of its territory being lost to it. Pos- 

 session is nine points of the law, and it is rather 

 late in the day to raise the question. The records 

 of the history of nations which in the past have 

 conquered others and appropriated land, show that 

 the taking of territory- is one of the worst policies 

 that can be adopted, and it is quite to be expected 

 that X.S.W. would feel just as keenly parting with 

 any part of her territory to her sister State, as she 

 would to anybody else far removed from her by 

 ties of relationship. At the same time, the areas 

 of the States are so unequal that Victoria could 

 verv easily do with a little more, and Xew South 

 Wales has so much that she could easily do without 

 a part of hers, with possibly a considerable advan- 

 tage to the rest. However, beyond the raising of 

 the very interesting question, it is hardly likely to 

 be seriously considered. At any rate, so far, Mr. 

 Carruthers regards it from a humorous point of 

 view. 



Mr. Bent has made an announce- 

 Motor Engines ment which will mean a great ad- 

 for Victoria. vance with regard to transit on our 

 railways. He is proposing to use 

 on country lines motor railway cars, .separating the 

 passenger traffic from freight, and running the pas- 

 senger cars at a very much higher rate of speed than 

 is done at the present time. Something ought cer- 

 tainly to be done to improve travelling facilities. 

 The saving in expenditure and in heavy rolling stock 

 would be so tremendous, and the accommodation 

 and transit would be so much improved, that the 

 change should be brought about immediately. 



Mr. W. J. Connell, who is practl- 

 "The callv the Australian Press-Cutting 



Gridir«n Map." Agency, 34 r Collii^s-street, has pub- 

 lished an exceedingly interesting 

 map. which he appropriately terms "' The Grid- 

 iron Map," purporting to show the extent to 

 which Socialism is represented in the Federal 

 Parliament. A glance at the map seems at 

 first sight to indicate that the maioritv of the mem- 



