4?8 



The Review of Reviews. 



June 1, 1906. 



In another part of this issue the 

 Tasmanian Tasmanian political situation is 

 Politics. dealt with by a non-partisan ob- 

 server in Tasmania. It is rather a 

 curious development that the Ministry, which has 

 been reconstructed, makes Mr. Propsting, the former 

 Premier, the lieutenant of his former political op- 

 ponent. Captain Evans says that his intention in 

 making the changes in the Cabinet is to secure 

 the co-operation of members favcmrable to progres- 

 sive legislation. The Cabinet ought to be stronger 

 now than past ones have been for some years, and 

 it is to be hoped that the result will be that Tas- 

 mania gets what she has not had — some prospect 

 of a speedy improvement in her legislation that 

 will place more power in the hands of her people, 

 and be more in the general interest. 



The Political Labour Council of 



pIi-tJiVi'Ih^lHr Victoria, which held its Annual 

 Political Labour „ . ' ,,, ,, ^ t- * 



Council. Conference m Melbourne, at haster- 

 time, was, from the Labour Party's 

 point of view, a great success. One of the most 

 important points decided upon, inasmuch as it re- 

 lates to present-day affairs, was the decision of the 

 council, in opposition to the advice of Mr. Watson, 

 to oppose anybody who was not a Labour man, as 

 defineil bv his acceptance of the Labour pledge. 

 The Federal Labour platform of last year was en- 

 dorsed. A verv striking feature of the Conference 

 of this year was the verv distinct division made be- 

 tween the extreme theoretical red-flag Socialists and 

 those who have determined to settle themselves 

 down to secure present-day reforms. This is a 

 hopeful sign, and it should permit of a union being 

 effected between the forces in the community which 

 desire progressive legislation and the Labour Party 

 upon those points which are generally held in com- 

 mon, and which should be considered by all sec- 

 tions on their merits with no reference to the party 

 from which they may have sprung. 



Mr. Seddon has been striking a true 



•'numanlsts." "'^'.f'^' ^^''^^" ]^^ says that he is 

 neither Radical, Conservative, 

 Socialist or Liberal, but that his 

 position could best be described by the word 

 " Humanist." That is precisely the note that I have 

 struck in these columns for some time. The right 

 and onlv feasible course for a politician to pursue 

 is to consider each measure that comes up for public 

 consideration upon its merits, irrespective of what 

 party it comes from, to push it for all that it 

 is worth, and bring it into active operation if it be 

 really in the interests of the people. It is in that 

 particular thing that I am inclined to think the 

 strength of the present Federal Government lies. 

 Progressive social legislation, having for its end 

 the greatest good of the greatest number must win 

 support from all sections of the House, and break 

 down the miserable party baiTiers which now divide 



the members. A determined advance in the field 

 of social reform, which is white unto harvest, must 

 resuk in a majority of the members participating 

 in the gathering, unless for the sake of their parties 

 they prove false to all their personal convictions and 

 election promises. Adherence to party cannot, or 

 ought not, to permit a man to vote against his 

 conscience. Principle should be the first considera- 

 tion, and if a progressive policy be pursued then- 

 is little fear but that it will be supported by men 

 from all ranks. This is practicallv w'hat Mr. Watson 

 means, and practically all that he can do, being 

 unable to give the hard and fast pledge of support, 

 as indeed no one should be expected to do. He is 

 more than anxious to give his support to anything 

 that tends to the betterment of the people. In that 

 very fact lies the strength of Mr. Deakin's party to- 

 day. It is strong, without the slightest doubt, if th<r 

 cause of social reform be pushed to the fore. The 

 record of tfie present Federal Government is a splen- 

 did one with regard to social reform. The prohibi- 

 tion of opium, the scotching of the wheel of the 

 perncious influence of some medical concerns (caus- 

 ing havoc to the health and morals of many), 

 its determination to stand alongside the most ad- 

 vanced nations in their fight against the white slave 

 traffic, stamp it as one with the highest moral ideals. 



There are some folks who consider 



A that Mr, Bent is fast Incoming 



True Charity. Socialistic, but if his Socialism 



goes on the lines of true social 

 reform, such as includes a matter which he 

 referred to when speaking at the great Cen- 

 tral Mission inauguration meeting in Mel- 

 bourne the other dav, there are not many people 

 who will care to be labelled by any other name. He 

 announced that it was the intention of his Govern- 

 ment to next year bring in a Bill to help the poor 

 to get homes of their cnvn. That is a crying neces- 

 sity. Rents are so high that wages of workers ar»- 

 eaten into verv considerablv, and the poor are 

 heavilv handicapped. Everybody will uphold Mr. . 

 Bent in a notable work of that kind, and the men 

 who are in Parliament and who are thus able to ac- 

 tively support the scheme, are in a favoured posi- 

 tion. He enlarged upon his idea bv saving that 

 those who w^ere weak in body and not able to take 

 their part in the battle of life would be helped to 

 get together homes with small gardens and fowl runs, 

 so that they might earn a living. That is philan- 

 thropy in the very best sense of the word. 



Dr. Dansyz's The scheme to secure the services 



Rabbit of Dr. Dansyz, of the Pasteur Insti- 



Extermination tute (now on his wav to Australia) 



Scheme. fQj. j^yg years to experiment with 



virus with a view to the extermination of rabbits, is 



not being received with favour by a great many 



people. The experiments are to be carried out on 



Broughton Island, and various animals are to be 



