Heview of EPrieti'n. l/S/ne. 



History of the Month 



K.Z. Free Lance,^ 



A National Calamity. 



BritanN'IA (to New Zeahuui) : " t,et us mingle our tears, 

 my daughter. The whole Empire mourns his death." 



tions of unrest. Mr. Seddon managed to prevent 

 them attaining serious dimensions, but it is now 

 pretty evident that the design is going to assume a 

 concrete shape. If it does, and a Labour Party is 

 formed in ParHament, the prospects of the present 

 Cabinet and of Sir Joseph Ward may become 

 clouded. For how often the appearance of the poli- 

 tical sky in Australia has changed because of the 

 ehtr)- of the third party. 



The ships of State have unfurled 

 Surpluses ^l • i j t, • j 



^^j their sails, and busmess is proceed- 



Itigh Hopes. ing as fast as Addresses in Reply 

 and votes of censure can be dis- 

 posed of. The outlook in every State is hopeful. 

 Most of them report surpluses. Of course, New 

 Zealand always rejoices in one. This year Victoria 

 shows a surplus of about _;^7co,ooo. When it is 

 remembered that this would have been bigger but 

 for _;^25,ooo paid for old bonds, and ^£27,000 for 

 expenses in floating a local loan, it will not be 

 wondered at that the State feels pleased with itself. 

 Last year Mr. Bent prognosticated a surplus of 

 _£i 2,000. West Australia is like'.v to pick up her 

 finances, which have been drifting, Tasmania is able 

 to rejoice over a surplus of about ^40,000, and the 

 whole of the States are able to start their sessions 

 with bright prospects. 



For many years the Victorian rail- 

 Victorian i»ays were a standing illustration of 

 Railways. mismanagement. About ;^iooo a 

 day was the price the countrv had 

 to pay for railway facilities. But some time ago the 

 railways were put under the charge of three Com- 

 missioners, and since then matters have been put 

 on a business footing. Prospects have steadilv im- 

 proved. Last year's earnings and expenses balanc- 



Melhourne Punch.'\ 



The Bereavement, 



Australia (to New Zeahmd) : "We ofter you our sym- 

 pathy i but, though the good man is gone, he can never be- 

 lost to you while you remain true to his noble ideals. 



ed. That wa.s healthy. But this year there is a net: 

 , revenue, after paying all expenses, of j[,i,?>o-\.lSi- 

 After providing ^103,000 for repairs and rolling 

 stock, and paying all interest and charges, there will 

 be a sum of ^£6205 left. When it is remembered 

 that the Commissioners had to face a depleted 

 stock and a heavy deficiency, everybody will join in 

 giving them credit for doing magnificently. Surely 

 the Government will now do its best to get fares 

 and freights reduced. Railways need not be a source 

 of revenue. So long as they pay all expenses it is 

 sufficient. The public should reap the advantage 

 in lower freights and fares, and in the extension of 

 lines to districts needing them. Facility of travel 

 must tend to decentralisation, which all the States 

 need. Another thing that should be pushed forward 

 is the use of motor engines for country lines, so as 

 to improve pas.5enger transit, and the electrification 

 of suburban lines, which is badly needed. Mr. 

 Bent's electric railway from St. Kilda to Brighton is 

 such an unqualified success that there is no reason 

 whv the experiment should not be extended. 



In spite of surpluses, there are un- 



The employed with us. But that is not 



Unemployed. the fault of the country, for its 



promise was never brighter than 

 to-day. It is simply due to our out-of-date methods 

 of allotting the surplus labour. In a busy city, where 

 a great export and import trade is carried on, there 

 must be a surplusage of labour, in order to ,cope 

 with sudden rushes of work. Necessarily this means 

 slack times, and, if our methods were not so anti- 

 quated, or if we had not such a lack of method, it 

 could be properly utilised. Relief work is a pallia- 

 tive, but not a cure. It would be a good plan if 

 Go\ernment works were left as much as possible to 

 the winter season, when other work is scarce. But 



