'», 1/7 /#u. 



History of the Month. 



15 



Ctichtiitii tiiiii ti'.j [/ 



Mp. G. H. Knibbs, F.R.A S.. 

 Newlv appointed Conimon«*"(!' V 



Statistician 



■th 



"^ 



X e 111 e 111 b e r s i n 

 one's own child 

 days. I'his. of 

 course, lias been 

 noted in older 

 cities, and is 

 being remedied 

 to some extent. 

 l!ut here the 

 movement has to 

 be initiated. Syd-- 

 iiey and Adelaide 

 are experiment- 

 ing with much 

 sLiccess. May the 

 movement prosper '. 

 The promoters will 

 turn in happy ways 

 many little feet that 

 (vtherwise will walk 

 crime wards as 

 though it Were the 

 only road to be 

 trod. 



Au'^ualia and New Zealand 

 re quick to express their sym- 



The 

 Spanish fragcdy. pathy with the young King and 

 Queen of Si)ain in the attack upon 

 thfir livis. This anarchical method of revolution 

 ought to 1>!' uut-of-date in these days. The act 

 called forth universal execration from Australasians. 

 It is s:i utterly alien to the free and easy relationship 

 -which exists between the rejiresentatives of royalty 

 and the people in these colonies. The conditions in 

 Eun)pe which make the rearing of the class of per- 

 son that was responsible for the crime possible nre in 

 comnrehensible to an Austr.ilasian mind. 



The Labnur Kxerybodv will be delighted with the 



Movement i)ronouncement which was made 



and (luring the month by the Political 



Religion. Laliour Council of Alelbourne. re- 



-.ll■'M^^ the., attitude of the Labour Party towards 



religion. During the last month, some very bitter 



remarks have been made by one or two irresponsible 



persons connected with the Labour Party upon some 



social reformers who are doing their best to clear 



up some of the political and social difficulties that 



exi.st. and it has been made by theni the opportunity 



to generally say bitter and stinging things about 



religion. Consequently, somp folks have stvled 



the L,il-.o-.n- Party irreligious, and one must frankly 

 admit that there has lieen justification for the charge. 

 Put anvone who knows the choicest sjiirits in 

 the Labour Party throughout the States knows 

 that the.se attacks by men of their own party 

 against religion or leaders of social reform 

 have been bitterly resented by ihem. ani tha; 

 their attitude towards religion is no different to 

 that of any other political party, but no oflR- 

 lial de;-laration was ever made upon the matter until 

 latelv. It is only common justce to say th's. Never- 

 theless the declaration is most cheering, especially 

 this crisis. At the meeting of the Council referred to. 

 Senator Cawson and Mr. Solly were both referred 

 to in condemnatory terms ; their attitude and utter 

 ances were repudiated; and as it was thought time 

 that the Party should make a definite pronounce- 

 ment of its attitude towards relicious m.ntters, the 

 following motion was adopted: — 



This executive deplores the .ittacks rerently made and to 

 he made on various clcrg.vineii and churches b.v men who 

 have Iwen prominent in and are still connected with, the 

 labour movement, and disowns any connection or s.vmpathy 

 with these attacks. 



The executive declaree the attitude of the Political Labour 

 Council towards all religions and all churches to be one 

 of non-interference and impartial toleration. Its activi- 

 ties lie in a clearly defined secular field, and have nothing 

 to do with the ' rofound mysteries of religion. Its members 

 include representatives of ever.v communion, who work in 

 perfect amit.v in pursuit of common objects. The religious 

 convict'ons of every fellow-man. whether founde:! on reason 

 or faith, are sincerel.v respected. The fostering of this 

 benevolent sentiment is one of the highest objects of our 

 organisation. 



Further, ne resent the constant reiteration of the charge 

 of " gross materialism of the Labour Party " levelled 

 against us be our political opponents, and based upon ut- 

 terances of irresponsible persons, which have been repu- 

 diated by us over and over again. 



We deprecate interference in politics by churches, and 

 interference in religions matters by political organisations- 



Never was there a better illustration 



, of the value of entertainment as a 



Japanese , . -^ ., ., 



Visit. me.-ins of promoting amity than the 



\isit of the Japanese squadron to 

 the chief cities in the Commonwealth. Britain's ally 

 ill the East had every reason to be more'than grati- 

 fied at the reception which she got, and there was 

 imiversal i>leasure at the fine spirit of hospi- 

 tality which was manifested. Nothing to be de- 

 sired was left out of the proL'r.amme to indicate the 

 warmth of feeling that evidently exists on both 

 sides. The warships were visited by thousands of 

 jieople. The officers were banqueted on land. The 

 rnen gave exhibitions of athletics, and created a 

 most intense interest as they marched through the 

 street, and national distinctions were forgotten. The 

 men might have been part of the American navy 

 for the warmth and Yordiality that was shown to 

 them. 



