The Review of Reviews, 



Augusr 1, 1906 



Photo.2 



ISwiss Studios. 

 Dr. A W Howi t, Victoria. 

 A recipient of the Order of C.M.G. 



Plwlo.J 



Hon. Wm. Hall Jones, 

 Premier of New Zealand. 



Iflcrmanii. 



what is wanted is a Labour Bureau, run by the State, 

 with its fingers on every part of the State every day. 

 Men cannot know where work is, but the State could 

 easily find out. Bureaux on the lines of New Zea- 

 land's are a necessity in every State. 



But the unemployed difficulty has. 

 Systematic in Melbourne at any rate, revived 

 Oversight. a question of interest. As a conse- 

 quence of agitation, some of the 

 members of some of the churches visited the poor 

 in their homes, with the result that always follows 

 when a personal visit of inspection is paid to sordid 

 conditions. The visitors were startled and grieved 

 at much that they saw. The difficulty attaching to 

 all our social problems would be got over if the 

 favoured folk would interest themselves personally in 

 the circumstances of the less favoured. But what 

 was done was patchy, although in itself right. Some 

 two years ago we tried to introduce the Elberfeld 

 system of looking after the destitute. But the time 

 was not ripe for it, and the scheme remained in 

 abeyance. This, however, would solve the problem 

 of present urgent need. A little later we shall have 

 more to say about it; but a steady, regular, syste- 

 matic visitation of homes likely to need assistance 

 by folk who take a warm personal interest in those 

 under their supervision, would entirelv prevent 

 hunger and distress on the part of the deser\-ing 

 needy. 



At the time of the railway strike in 

 Separate Victoria, Mr. Irvine introduced the 

 Representation. Separate Representation Bill, to 

 combat what he conceived to be a 

 danger to the State. He felt that too much political 

 power was exercised by civil ser\'ants, and that the 

 welfare of the community was prejudiced thereby. 

 Whatever may have been the merits or demerits of 

 the case, Mr. Bent's proposal to repeal this legisla- 

 tion comes as a satisfaction to everybody. If a 

 lesson were necessary, it has most likely been learn- 

 ed, and there is no good end to be gained by per- 

 petuating what has always been looked upon by the 

 electors concerned as a punishment. There is a 

 general consensus of opinion that the restriction 

 should be removed, and civil servants given the 

 privilege of ordinarv electors. If the principle of 

 separate representation were uniformly obser\-ed, no 

 injustice would be done, but, seeing that it is not, 

 the time has arrived for a reversion to previous 

 methods. But in view of the common horror of the 

 idea of political patronage becoming rampant in 

 departments of State, it will be wise for the mass 

 of the civil service to insist on their leaders in re- 

 form or revolt walking mth eyes wide open in the 

 future. 



Mr. Bent proposes to expend 

 Giving a ^'75.000 a year for three years in 



Helping Hand. st-ttling needy people on small hold- 

 ings, loaning them the means where- 



