The Review of Reviews. 



September I, 1906. 



the more reason why, if there should be exceptions, 

 they should not become the rule. It is a sorrv 

 business cleaning up public morals ; but neverthe- 

 less it is absolutely necessary in the interests of tlie 

 present and the future generations. The Xew 

 South AVales Parliament is being watched very nar- 

 rowly over the Lands Department scandals, not 

 simply by Xew South Welshmen, but bv Austral- 

 asians, and there will be some real grief if it does 

 not grasp the question and deal with it verv drasti- 

 cally, no matter what disgrace it mav bring to anv 

 guilty parties. 



Mr. Deakin is responsible for a 



Electoral very pleasant surprise. For quite a 



Reform. considerable time vre had been 



hoping that some attempt would 

 be made to rectify the anomalies in connection with 

 Parliamentarv elections. In so many cases it hap- 

 pens that the elected member represents only a 

 minority of the electors. Even hi the case of the 

 return of Mr. A. Bruntnell for Surry Hills, last 

 month, this is so, large as his majority was. The 

 votes cast for his opponents totalled more than the 

 votes cast for him. No more desirable candidate 

 could be found anywhere in the world, but neverthe- 

 less the fart remains that the votes recorded for him 

 were a minority of the electors. Now- it is extremelv 

 probable that under an exhaustive ballot Mr. 

 Bruntnell would still have been elected, but it would 

 have been infinitely more satisfactory- to him and lo 

 the electors if both he and thev knew that a ma- 

 jority of the electors had voted for him. But in that 

 direction the sky of political reform in all the States 

 has been clouded. S'o Parliament has seemed willing 

 to undertake the business, although the reasons for 

 reluctance were hard to find. Sitting members 

 would not be likely to have their chances jeopardised 

 any more than anybody else. Consequentlv the 

 statement of Mr. Deakin comes as a ven' pleasant 

 surprise indeed. In whatever wav the law is 

 amended, either by the preferential vote or the second 

 ballot, it is to be hoped that Mr. Deakin will adopt 

 the suggestion made by us a few weeks ago, and trv 

 to get the co-operation of the State Premiers to 

 have the method of voting taught in the State 

 schools. If in some quarters it should be urged that 

 this might be made an instrument for influencing 

 local elections, that could be ea.silv avoided bv giving 

 instructions to teachers that the names of no local 

 candidates should be used in teaching children how 

 to vote. 



Annthpr Another matter which Mr. Deakin 



Electio« Date. P^poses to deal with, alterinc: 

 the date of the elections, will 

 meet with general approval. The -end of the 

 year is ven,- irvconvenient for holding an elec- 

 tion, for everybodv outside towns is busv 

 with harvesting operations, or something con- 



Melbourne Punch,'] 



A Tough Contract. 

 I The Prime Minister is wearying the Protectionists by his 

 tardiness in entering upon Tariff Reform.) 



SIB EDMTtND BAHTON (who has tried it himself): 'You've 

 got to linock that into shape, Alf. Tou'U like the job. I 

 don't think." 



Mr. Deakin is expected to have some tiresome and tedions 

 work in front of him over the "Tariff Amendment Bill. 



nected with them, and it is small wonder that 

 the proportion of electors who vote is so small. The 

 present dates are not fair to farmers. Almost anv 

 other time in the year would be better than the last 

 two months. It is quite certain that with the altera- 

 tion of the date a much heavier poll would take 

 place, and seeing that the question of compulsory 

 voting is in the air. facilities should be made as 

 easy as possible. 



The expected has happened. Sir 



Enter, Joseph Ward has returned to New 



Sir Joseph Ward. Zealand, and Mr. Hall-Jones has 



retired in- his favour. Sir Joseph 

 Ward has evidently taken the bull bv the horns, and 

 reconstructed the Cabinet, a course which has been 

 desirable for a ven,^ long time. It is better that he 

 should have done it in the beginning of his reign, 

 for things possible now would be impossible after-' 

 wards w-ithout bringing political ruin clatter- 

 ing about his ears. The new Ministry will 

 be made up as follows : — Sir Joseph Ward, 

 Prime Minister, Co'.onial Treasurer, Postmaster- 

 General, Commissioner of Telegraphs, Minister 



